


The Last Lifeboat

by DrTwit



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Dark, Dark Comedy, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Family Feels, Friendship, Hope vs. Despair, Inner Demons, Keep moving forward, Light in the darkness, M/M, Mind Manipulation, Psychological Drama, Psychological Horror, Tragedy, technically AU, unbreakable bonds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 76,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22142569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrTwit/pseuds/DrTwit
Summary: Ruby Rose is dead. It wasn't Salem. It wasn't hordes of Grimm. It wasn't a stylish self-sacrifice for victory. It was a giant fish that drowned her. She betrayed the trust her team put in her, she failed to be Ruby Rose, the hero who could carry the burden and defend the helpless. But when she wakes up to reality, to Ozpin's face in a foreign voice laughing at her pain and telling her it was all a lie, she finds herself wondering if she was ever Ruby Rose after all. Or was Ruby Rose a dream she invented to aspire to?
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Ruby Rose, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	1. The Plunge

**I had this idea buzzing about for a while, first wanted it to get done as a webcomic, but it's ain't exactly easy to get someone to draw a comic for some rando with an 'idea', so I just fell back on writing it. Excited to finally get the first chapter out there after weeks of redrafting it. I'm a sadist at heart, so this premise is very fun and interesting for me to play with, though I think some of you will catch on to what exactly this is inspired by.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

A quiet day can offer you many things. And a high priority Huntsman mission deep in Atlas's frozen sea provided many quiet days. A calm chapter in the frequent shake-up of your life's story where nothing can steal away your thoughts, where the calm folding of Atlas's tide soothed the mind, where the distant peaks of glaciers burned the true beauty of nature into your soul and where the only distraction was the soft chill of snow running down your back, keeping you grounded in reality. In the quiet, you had time, you had peace, you had room to think and to ask the questions you never got to appreciate before.

"You ever wonder why we're here?"

Weiss regarded her leader with the waning attention that only sister-in-arms who fought side-by-side with this scythe-wielding oddity could. She didn't scoff, still owing the girl at least offer attention and interest in the question, but there was something deeply comical about the small girl standing on the railing. Such a forcefully solemn frown hanging under the veil of her hood, the cloak itself ruining her attempt to perch like a bird as it flailed in the wind just enough for Weiss to worry that it would snatch Ruby up like a hot air balloon. "That's the fifth time you've asked that."

To her credit, Ruby managed to hold back the tortured moan of a child. Hopping off the railing to avoid any unfortunate accidents with her cape, she landed into a crouch, pulling up her cloak around her knees to push away the chilling winds. She looked up at Weiss with a face that lacked its usual color, lips pursed and silver iris's lazily listing to the side, but Weiss couldn't tell if it was because of the cold or because she was bored. "Well, 'Are we there yet?' didn't seem right when we're not moving." Ruby's fingers poked out between the folds of her cloak, wiggling to gesture to the rest of the Atlas Military Vessel before ducking back under the warm protection of the cloth.

It was times like this that Weiss was relieved to have been raised in Atlas, where the icy tundra surrounding mantel and choking the atmosphere had become commonplace to her body and aura. That's not to say that she couldn't feel the cold. Just watching the ship's crew pick away at the strips of ice infesting the ship made her exposed cheeks feel the pinching of the wind. Still, it wasn't as bad as her friends were making it out to be, no need for Ruby to pack five layers or for Nora to start plucking Yang's hair to get a fire going.

As composed and blunt as ever, Weiss reiterated to her leader what she knew she had sure said before, keeping her tone matter of fact. "We're here because when drawing straws, we drew the red one that puts us guarding the rear-"

The rushed assault of Ruby's wacky flailing arms prompted Weiss to stop her response short, reduced to a quirked eyebrow and thin, disapproving lips. "No, not why we're here in this exact spot. Why are we here, in this universe, in general?" The girl drew out her pronunciation, trying her best to inject an underlying mellowness to her tone that came out as subtle and intelligent as cracking a chair over someone's head.

"Because Salem enraged the God of Darkness and got the first generation of humanity erased?"

Ruby's face scrunched up at the short answer, shuffling closer to Weiss to give her partner the whole disappointed pouting routine where her body language seemed to deflate. "When you put it like that it sounds so depressingly simple."

Weiss crouched down slightly, bringing her index finger up to poke at Ruby's puffed-out cheeks, looking ever more sadistic and cold with that mocking grin. "Welcome to life, Ruby, glad to see you finally joined us."

The condescending finger was pushed away as Ruby shifted her weight to balance on her toes, staring at the silvery sheen of the floor with overblown dismay. "Don't you think it could mean more? That we were meant for more?"

To her credit, Weiss didn't scoff too hard at her leader's half-assed attempt at being 'deep', though the reason for why Ruby was asking these sudden questions eluded her. "Ruby, you're far too young to have an existential crisis."

The heels of combat boots squealed against the metal as a small body scrambled to its feet, taking a dramatic, yet exasperated, pose to valiantly defend some wounded pride with more than enough exaggerated flailing. "I'm not having a crisis! I'm just saying, maybe we could talk about it." Ruby paused, taking a moment to quickly pull her arms back into a casual stance across her chest, immediately recognizing that she was cold again. With her body heat secured, she quietly continued. "I was raiding the local café yesterday and I saw this group of friends. They were in a fierce debate about the current state of Atlas and how they've been dealing with the recent accusations about the SDC." At Weiss's expression of lacking belief, Ruby straightened her posture and tried to make her voice more 'serious'. This meant wagging her finger profusely like when Mr Port told his stories in class. "Are they abusing their Faunus workers? Is this the SDC's fault? Is this just an unfortunate consequence of the workplace culture due to the increased Grimm activity?"

A moment of silence was taken. Weiss leaned back, squinting slightly with a critical gaze over Ruby as the words still didn't click together in her head. "You were listening in on a group of random people so you could hear them discuss business and class politics? Really? You?"

The overused pout appeared once more, her stance widening as knuckles dug into hip bones. "Look, I don't know what most of that stuff means, yeah, but they were having a heated discussion. They were taking an interest in things and not just because it was life and death. We haven't done that since you were a snobby jerk back in Beacon!" At the frown tugging at Weiss's lips and the disapproving glare, Ruby cut herself short to awkwardly laugh and assure Weiss that no offense was meant. "We don't talk anymore, Weiss. Yeah, we joke, we jab, we make quips and speeches to other people, but we don't engage with each other."

The moment her heart-felt confession ended, Weiss was upon her, fingers pulling at her cheeks like a Grandma, as she held Ruby's head tightly in place. "Oh god, you've been reading internet blogs again. Ruby, we told you already, you shouldn't expose yourself to that stuff, you know it makes you loopy." Ruby did not appreciate the prodding, but Weiss had a surprisingly strong grip. "You're not going to start making a fuss out of Qrow's name being spelled with a 'q' again, are you?"

Pale hand batted at Weiss's wrist, turning that tugging frown into the closest thing the Heiress could muster to a teasing smile as Ruby huffed. "I'm just saying that I want you to know that I'm ready to have serious or informative talks with you, Weiss. I'm not just a bundle of one-sided speeches, jokes, and worries. I can have a conversation about our situation and discuss your… Uh… Concerns. I can debate cookies, I can think about philosophy, I can question existence, blah, blah, blah. Just know that we don't have to agree all the time and can argue about stuff. Because that's what best friends do." Getting that all out in one go seemed almost too much for the girl, leaving Ruby sucking back in breath stolen by the cold as she quickly added "…And I'm REALLY, REALLY BORED. Where the hell is this thing!?"

Her complaints weren't without merit. It had been three days since they sat in Ironwood's briefing room at 4 in the morning, coffee cups held between fingers like lifelines, where the good General went over their mission. Reports started with an old tale passed between fishermen of an ancient beast born from the ice around Atlas, dragging boats and islands down to the sea bed never to be seen again. Then that tall tale turned into rumors, then into social media stories until the military vessel 'The Dwarf' was found in a flaming heap in the harbor of a port town. The crew was dead outside of one survivor, who only ended up gunned down when he displayed how determined he was to blow up the ship and take everyone else with him.

"We're investigating sightings, Ruby. It might not even show up today." Weiss knew it made no difference to Ruby, but she had to stress not to get anyone's hopes up. Ironwood has dispatched multiple teams to investigate what happened to the Dwarf, evidence suggesting an attack from a massive sea creature, possibly Grimm. Though team RWBY just saw it as a basic 'Find Monster, kill Monster' mission. It wasn't the first time they were picking up the pieces of a Grimm attack. At least, it probably didn't have anything to do with Salem.

Ruby looked like she was ready to vomit, pulling a long face and leaning over the railing with a steel grip on the bars. "You're just trying to make me suicidal now, aren't you?"

There was a quick eye roll before the Heiress moved to lean over with Ruby, taking a deep breath of the crisp sea air as she stretched out her right hand, gesturing at the shining landscape before them. Weiss could never get over how amazing the sea looked when the light hit it just right, turning it's rippling surface into liquid crystal dancing with the sun's gaze. "I don't see the big deal. This is the perfect opportunity to relax. A mission without Salem coming after us, the sight of the calm sea, the air of nature. Just us on a boat mile away from the shore, in the center of all this beauty."

In sharp contrast to Weiss's breath-taking awe, Ruby sunk to her knees as if she were being forced to be for her life under torture. The same reaction she'd give whenever her father dragged her along on a fishing trip. "How can you stomach all this nothing?! I need action! Why can't I have just paired off with Yang or Jaune?"

Weiss scoffed, extending an accusatory finger right at Ruby's button nose. "Because you'd goof off with Yang and I don't trust you two hormonal teenagers still starting out your relationship alone!" The implication left hanging wounded Ruby greatly. _Is she still on that? I swear, I lie to Weiss once about 'training' with Jaune, and I never hear the end of it._ "As second in command, I have to make sure our team leader remains focused and vigilant."

Whatever witty retort Ruby could think of was given pause as she locked Weiss with a tilted stare, bewildered. "Since when are you second in command?"

A cross of the arms coupled with Weiss's second round of rolling her eyes. "You're the leader and I'm your partner, thus I am the leader who steps up to the plate when you are unable too. Perfectly logical." She punctuated her claim with a soft poke against Ruby's nose, standing tall with firm confidence in her 'facts' and 'logic'.

"I'm starting to think you're chomping at the bit for a mutiny."

Weiss shrugged. "Well, if anyone were to lead one, I'd be the only one able to do so efficiently."

Ruby gasped with an exaggerated offense, giving Weiss a hard jab in the ribs that a traitor like her deserved. "You're a mean, mean lady."

"I've got movement right side!" Any sense of teasing or back and forth was immediately wiped away by the screeching of Nora's voice over their scrolls, jumping the two huntresses into 'serious' mode. Ruby threw crescent rose over the side of the ship, hooking it onto the rail and falling into a scouting position, peering into the serene blue abyss surrounding them through the most advanced scope a weapons nut could modify. Behind them, military personnel scattered across the ship, picking up weapons and calling out codes to their fellows in arms as they rushed to their stations.

Weiss took up the position behind Ruby, adjusting her posture and raising her beloved rapier with ice dust in toe. Glyphs scrawled themselves on the ship's hull, reaching into Weiss's dust supply with invisible tendrils and dragging ice out between the writing, forming a row of neat ice spikes jutting out of the ship's side. The scroll's activity did not falter. "Don't you mean starboard?" Jaune's voice joined the call, accompanied by the background noise of his feet scraping across the metal floor in a hurry.

There was a throat-based sound that Ruby could only identify as a grunt from Nora, a glance to the side allowing Ruby to catch a brief glimpse of the gingerbread avenger bouncing up on top of the boat's head, trying to get a better perspective before jumping out of sight. "I don't know your made-up terms, Jaune."

Yang joined the fray too, her voice bouncy and energized as her loud and quick footsteps echoed across the ship, almost knocking over a few crew members along the way. "I can see it too! It looks big, might just be our little Messy!" The click of her gauntlets thrusting back into place could be heard even without the scroll, sharing her sister's enthusiasm for activity and dissatisfaction with the previous tedium.

"Messy, seriously?" The blade of Gambol Shroud zipped past Weiss and Ruby as Blake joined in the conversation, soon the cat faunus's agile body coming into brief view as her makeshift grapple shot her across the deck.

"I got sick of calling it 'Weird Alien Fishy Thing'." Ruby resisted the urge to come into the conversation and point out that her suggestion for the name was far superior. A great leader must remain focused on the mission after all, and Ruby was an amazing leading lady, in her own opinion. "Blake, think you can fish it out? It's picking up speed!"

The expected response came in a dull, sarcastic tone. In the corner of her eye, Ruby caught movement just off to the side of her, but by the time she whipped around to the front of the ship, the waves had splashed whatever visuals against the bow. "Yeah, I'll just pull it out of the water with that super strength I don't have."

With speed carrying her feet and Weiss clinging to her hood, the duo launched themselves towards the ship's nose, chasing the brief glimpse of movement. "Come on, if anyone's gonna catch a big fish, it's gonna be the cat." Silence fell over the comms as everyone could feel the cheery grin struggling to contain Yang's laughter at her own joke, which only reminded many how punchable Yang was.

"I swear to god, Yang-" The panicked silence snuffing out Blake's response echoed across the ship, locking everyone into place before Blake's voice returned in a bellow. "Watch out, it's heading right for us!" Action slowed to a full stop, voices dropped to listen to the subtle thrashing of the waves against them, launching all hands on deck to brace themselves against the nearest wall. Ready to move, ready to take the impact, ready for action. As her friendly neighborhood android would say, Ruby was combat-ready, no matter how hard the air, thick with expectation, weighed down upon her shoulders. Ruby held onto the railing while Weiss grounded herself in her glyphs, both of their legs crouched low, building up tension in the springs in their legs fuelled by the pressure of their beating hearts.

Until finally, the ship made contact… With a soft pop that Ruby almost didn't hear.

"Oh," Yang stated.

"Oh?" Weiss's teeth ground together as she slacked her posture to glare down at her scroll.

There was nervous laughter. "False alarm, it's just a bowie caught on a bunch of junk. Seems some smaller fish were dragging it all." Yang's voice picked up in tone, letting out a soft coo as she watched the group of fish with their tiny little fins. However, before Weiss could verbally tear Yang a new one, they heard a sharp and shocked gasp as Yang added on. "The fish just swam straight into the engine propellers."

Instinctively, Ruby's body shivered as she imagined the cute fishies getting shredded into Blake's favorite meal. Jaune chirped in, relief evident in his voice at the prospect of not having to meet this beast yet. "Jeez, you'd think they'd have seen the blades."

To her credit, Ruby wasn't too loud with her groaning as her body deflated against the railing, Crescent Rose hanging loosely from her fingertips. She looked up at the now relaxing Weiss through half-lidded eyes, not sharing her boyfriend's relief at the situation. "Is it too much to ask for something to just happen!?"

It was only when Ruby noticed that her body was violently flung overboard, her eyes locking with the wide terror of Weiss's, that her ears registered irony ramming the side of the ship with the force of five trucks. Soon after, her nerves caught up with the present situation and she felt her insides smacking against her rib cage as the sudden jolt in the ship's position.

"RUBY!" The panic caused by that shrill shriek and the sight of the crystal sea below getting closer finally kicked the rest of her senses into gear. Ruby tightened her grip, thankful that Crescent Rose didn't slip from her, and slammed her feet into the ship's hull, kicking off the metal surface to try and pivot her body. She threw around the weight of her weapon to assist with forcing her small stature around, flipping her to face upwards where Weiss's bright hair stuck out over the railing. Quickly - and with a smidge of guilt about breaking Atlas property - Ruby dug the tip of her scythe into the side of the ship, slowing her descent into an abrupt stop.

Desperately, she clung to her beloved savior, hiking her legs up to wrap around the shaft and give herself more leverage. After a few seconds of dead silence without issue, Ruby decreed that she was safe for now and could let out a sigh of relief. "I think we found the Grimm…" Her weak joke earned a groan from Weiss up top, but the two were happy to still see one another in one piece. Not content to stick to hanging while the Grimm was probably preparing a second attack, Ruby slowly turned her position, spinning her body on top of her only platform and carefully pushing herself to stand atop Crescent Rose. It was like a tightrope walk, just as scary, just as precarious and made her happy she weighed as little as she did despite the occasional sweet tooth binge.

At Weiss's encouragement, Ruby looked for what she could do to climb back up. She couldn't exactly just jump back onto the deck from here and she didn't have enough room nor stability for a running start to make Weiss's glyphs work. Deciding to set her sights lower, Ruby looked around for a lower deck window she might be able to jump into or at least get a crew member's closer help from. However, try as she might, the closest window was just out of reach of her stumpy arms. She shouted back up to Weiss "I can't reach!".

Weiss waved back down, casting a glance over her shoulder before turning back with an idea. "Hang in there, I'm gonna get some rope." Another loud crack echoed across the ship as Weiss disappeared, making Ruby jump to grab the line of torn open metal left by her last-minute save. To make matters worse, there was a sudden impact on her forehead when a bundle of rope was dropped down upon her with eh tip lash out like a whip.

"Oh, you did that on purpose!" Ruby yelled up at what she assumed was Weiss, taking hold of the rope and slowly pulling herself back up, kicking Crescent Rose back into her hands along the way. With the panic subsiding, Ruby's mind fell back on Professor Port's 'Five Steps of Combat Strategy'. Step one: Evaluate Enemy Position. With this in mind, as she pulled herself back on board and breathed in the sweet scent of unwashed decks, she dug out her dropped scroll and spoke firmly into it. "Blake, you have the best sight, keep your eyes on Messy."

"Got it. Currently, it seems to be circling us." As she said it, Ruby looked over the railing once more, taking care to hook her toes under the railing and keep her ground, spotting the waves overturning in high heaps over a shadow that weaved under the ship. The shadow at first seemed as big as just a normal shark, but around the dark shadow, a lighter shade stretched out around it, five times bigger, then an even slighter color wept under the ship, giving hints of many layers to this leviathan. Ever turn of it's body brought with it tidal waves that almost reached the railings and hit the ship with enough force to be noticed.

Even with special ammo, Ruby had a hard time convincing herself that Crescent Rose would be of much help.

Ren, who to Ruby's knowledge was positioned around the ship's artillery, spoke softly with his usual cautiously optimistic manner. "Perhaps it's unsure of what we are yet, friend, obstacle or dinner."

"Or mate."

Ruby had to cover her ears as Wiess scornfully yelled "Yang!"

There was a moment of pause, presumably for Yang to take a second look over the ship and shrug at the offense Weiss seemed to have taken. "I'm just saying, this ship looks awfully phallic. Maybe we should tell it that we're just not that kind of Atlesian vessel."

They shook off Yang's humor, Ruby moving up the stairs to the ship's quarterdeck to check on the non-huntsman personnel. Jaune passed her on his way to slip into the captain cabin, probably making sure the engines were ready in case they needed to make a quick escape. Once more, Ren reported in "Harpoon on standby."

This prompted Ruby's gaze to return to their curious fish friend, finding it still poking at the ship. She leaned out slightly over the side, looking from the shifting sea and to where Ren stood by the harpoon cannon, judging how close the creature was to the firing range. "Alright, Ren, it should be heading towards you in a few seconds. When you see your shot, take it. Yang, get ready to help pull!"

"Excuse me for a minute," Blake's voice was hesitant, carrying a heavy load of worry over the comms ", but are we really going to pin all our hopes on a harpoon pulling a giant fish Grimm in?".

Looking through the captain's window, Ruby could see Jaune leaning over a vast array of monitors and buttons alongside other crewmen, answering Blake for her. "No, we're counting on the harpoon keeping it close so we can fire the sedation rounds from the ship's defense guns. Ironwood wants us to try and take this thing in alive and the hard-light net can't do jack if it's thrashing around. Remember how easily that Grimm back at Argus tore through the shields?"

Blake paused to consider this, a disapproving hum coming out as a distorted beep over the transmission. "Alright. I don't like it, but it makes sense. Just hope Atlesian tech is up to the challenge."

As the bellowing cracks and whirls of machinery ripped across the ship from the harpoon starting up, the rest of Ruby's friends began to come into clearer view, converging around the general vicinity of the harpoon in case the creature took a swipe at Ren first. Seeing this, Weiss, while hunkering herself down with some self-made ice wedges to grab a hold of, spoke into everyone's ears. "Better brace for impact, I don't think it's going to go easy on us!"

They could all hear the length of the harpoon unfurl as the tip was shot outwards and pierced the unknown. No visual confirmation of the shot was needed as a few seconds later they felt the pullback of the creature's raw emotion, pain characterized through the massive strain on the canon when the chain was yanked hard and the wail, shrill and inhuman, that engulfed any other sound they could make. Yang could be seen moving under Ren's position, hands now shooting out to grab a hold of the chain and already it was a struggle. She didn't expect it to be easy, but it took her by surprise when the moment she had the chain in her grasp, she was violently slammed into the railing by the pull from down below. The only reason she didn't immediately go overboard was a combined effort of Ren wrapping the end of Gambol Shroud around Yang's waist, with Blake pulling her end around the solid foundation of the radio tower for support.

Despite this, another violent pull urged Yang forward, the sudden movement almost making Blake topple off her perch. Quickly, Ren and Yang moved closer to Nora, who stood by eager to play a game of whack-a-cracken if the creature rose from the water. "Grab onto Nora for support!"

"Thunder thighs, don't fail me now!" Fortunately, Nora was able to keep herself still for once, digging her heels into the ground as Yang and Ren clung to her waist. However, when the ship bucked against the force of a large body crashing against it under the cover of a wave, Ren found his grip wasn't as good as Yang's. His body went over Nora's head, not over the railing, but flung across the ship. Jaune, who rushed out onto the deck hoping to help, found himself quickly meeting the floor when Ren's head crashed into his gut, turning both of them into a crumpled heap.

Ruby wanted to rush to their aid, but she found her legs paralyzed at the painful vibrations of the ship shuddering, the forceful attack's reverb not letting up this time. The wail engulfed them once more, only this time louder and forceful enough to tear away at their eardrums. It was like the sound wasn't even coming from anywhere, it was just there, scratching at their skin, pulling at the small corners of their minds, slipping in one venomous song that told them to look towards the source. Before them, the sea parted and the waves seemed to flee in distress, and from this seam in the blue void, a figure shrouded from color pushed through, stretching the cut into a wound, into a gateway from the underworld below. The figure ascended, looking more like a rising mountain than a fish, no eyes were visible as it's gigantic form blocked out any semblance of light to the point that merely it's shadow casting over them gave the impression that it had suddenly become night time. The colossus towered over them and it called to them.

"H-holy cow, h-how big is this thing!?" Yang's voice immediately jumped into almost choking, the confirmation of the creature's gargantuan size, looking to see that the harpoon snap in half like it was an elastic band, was almost enough to make her collapse.

Following this revelation, the ship shifted, the floor reworking itself to give rise to thick, implosion rail guns that looked like toys facing the creature. From their barrels came crimson blasts that pelted that beast's scaly surface, every explosion giving them just a quick flash of the body towering over them. While the scream that followed made Ruby drop to her knees in pain, it at least confirmed that the explosive dust rounds were actually hurting the creature. It was clear to everybody that capturing this thing was out of the question. Ruby yelled to the crew operating the guns "Keep firing! KEEP FIRING!". All at once, the darkness was extinguished by a flashing combined assault of cannon fire and the Huntsman's adding what they could and taking up arms. Every few seconds, another roar boomed over them, another claw embedded in their minds and reverbing through their thoughts. It was as if every roar forced them to feel the creature's pain, it's anger burned in their frontal lobe, it's power overwhelmed their noses, it's desperation thumped in their hearts, all while they little by little made pull away. It was an uphill climb every step of the way, not only because the wailing made them want to drop their weapons and curl up into a ball, but every time it moved, it swept waves up in its fins, carrying the vessel around the formation of ice tipped rocks surrounding them, every step threatening to capsize the entire ship.

Unfortunately, soon the cannon fire was cut short, swallowing everyone in the darkness of the creature's shadow once more, the metal barrels overheated by discharging so much high-temperature dust. Panic crept into their hearts, little by little, knowing that this monster could very well crush the ship with it's breath in the time it would take for the guns to cool down. Ruby wanted to turn back and check on her teammates, but no one could take their eyes off the towering figure, a single ray of light hitting them from the center of it. A golden shimmer emerged from the darkness, the shape resembling a closed flower growing from the untamed soil, it's petals covering it's core.

"What is that?!" Was all Weiss and Nora could yell as the flower began to unwrap, petals spreading out to rest against strained scales and burned flesh, a bumbling core revealed that slowly pushed it's way past the petals.

Blake rushed past Ruby and straight to the control room, bashing on the windows and yelling out for everyone to hear. "What matters is that something's coming out of that. We need to run, now!. Initiate the engines, turn the ship starboard, I think it's launching something at us!" No later had she said that the core exploded in an array of toxic purple fumes, leaving a trail of smoke behind it as it sailed through the air. "INCOMING!"

In a split second, Ruby could have managed to get out of the way, so could Blake, but Jaune and Ren could not, so in a brief look shared between them, the two rushed to pull their friends to their feet. None of them could even feel the impact, all they had was a flash of sludge before their head crashed against the metal surface. For the next few moments, Ruby couldn't feel anything, not her legs giving up, not her body screaming for relief, not even the raging throb of her head after it banged against the floor, all she could feel was the cold. People spoke around here, some even yelled, but she couldn't make anything out, all fading into the background like static, all blurring together into a single, hurtful note that repeated in her mind. A distressful song screaming through chords of her nightmares.

Without prompt, without a transition, without warning Ruby was back on her feet, the rain now pounding against the back of her neck, the night's sky sheltered by a thick fog and footsteps filling her ears. However, the first thing her mind registered was that she was covered in thick, purple sludge. "Eeeeeeew, I don't even wanna know where THIS came from."

She heard similar comments from Ren as he helped Jaune and Blake get up, their clothes stained with a similar substance. The rest of their friends crowded around them, relief evident in their faces and their clothes completely clean. It was only then that Ruby and co noticed the lack of action, the ship wasn't moving, the sea was calm and their hard-to-miss attacker was nowhere to be found. "Where'd it go?" Jaune was the first to ask, his sword tightly gripped as he whipped around furiously to try and catch even a glimpse of their foe.

"Everything's gotten real dark and murky real quick. It could be anywhere." Ruby spoke slowly, throat tightening at the prospect of that thing somehow having the element of surprise on top of everything else. Taking into consideration how dark it was, she looked to Blake as her first bet. "Blake, you see anything?"

"Nothing." The cat girl's voice came out as a cross between fear and shock, a short gasp of breath following it, her ears and nose twitching for the chance at finding anything. "No movement, not even the sea, everything's just black."

Nora tried her best to look positive, her face splitting into a forced smile as she suggested: "Think it might have run away?".

Weiss shook her head. "Why attack us in the first place if it was just going to flee when it has the advantage? Doesn't make any sense, even for Grimm."

"So, what? We wait for it to pop out and then smash it?" The blond brawler punched an open palm to emphasize her point, her face leaving no mystery to the doubt leaking into her eyes.

Even though they spoke, it didn't sound like their voices reached far, as if the air around them choked all the volume out of them. As Jaune cautiously approached the railing to peer over the edge, his normal voice came out as a whisper, barely audible over the bleak rhythm of his beating heart. "No, our priority is to get out of here." He tried to breathe deeply, but he only found that his breath just shook all of the air out of him. "We came expecting just an annoying big fish, this thing is far more dangerous. Almost ripped the ship in half."

Ren opened his mouth to speak, but he hesitated, fearful of adding more bad news to the situation. After more silence settled in, he took the first step forward and opened his arms. "Sounds nice, but uh… Question: Which way do we go?" Everyone followed his gesture, the fog stretching over to the edge of their vision until even the sea looked like a stand-in for clouds. No more could they see the formation of rocks, no glaciers, no life, no stars, no direction or anything they could recognize as a landmark. How could they escape from here if they didn't know where here was in relation to everything else?

Another minute was drawn out by nerves and worried glances, the only noise being the repetition of Weiss tapping her foot to tune of her thoughts. She clicked her finger, just managing to blurt out "Uh… Uh... The ship. The ship plots the route. The ship's computer should have navigation data."

Those who didn't know how the ship's worked that well didn't question it, they just trusted Weiss's word and were just happy to find some progress. Ruby cleared her throat, projecting her voice louder to overcome the oppressive silence of the atmosphere, pointing to Jaune, Ren, and Nora as she talked. "Alright, you guys get back in there. And check if the canons can fire again. Me, Yang, Weiss, and Nora will stay out here since we are better equipped to fend that thing off if it comes back."

A mocking salute from Nora and a combined round of cheers from the rest had everyone split into activities, Nora and Yang taking up point in front of Weiss while Jaune and CO made their way forward, Jaune punching his fist in the air as he called over to Ruby. "Knock 'em dead, Honey."

Ruby scoffed, happy to feel the tension dissolve at the injection of small pleasures back into the dynamic. "Do I ever do anything else?"

Then the ship rocked again.

As if fate had sensed the brief relief and decided to pounce upon it, with no chance of predicting it, out of nowhere a thick tentacle that could easily tear through buildings shot out of the fog and cut through their cluster of bodies. They were all knocked flat on their backs as the limb ripped the captain's cabin from it's foundations, reducing it to just a pile of broken metal in just a few moments before their very eyes. To make matters even worse, the tail end of the tentacle smacked against the back of the radio tower, breaking through the bottom half of it and sending the top half bearing down on the passengers.

No one needed to think before their bodies shot up, weighed down by the pain of the previous blow, rushing to outpace the falling tower. It wasn't a slow fall, it was one quick movement that would have claimed them all if they were a split second too slow. However, as they looked back, a blood-curdling scream told them that one person was a split second slow.

"Oh crap!" Jaune rushed back through the resulting impact cloud while holding back muffled cries, about ready to puke out all his fears and disgust as he looked down at his teammate. Before him, trapped under the immense weight of the tower, Nora Valkyrie was in a state of shock. She could spare a second to cry, only gawk at the twisted mess her body had become and the split moment of her spine suddenly being yanked out like a broken plug.

"NORA!" Ren collapsed by Nora's body as Jaune tried desperately to push the fallen tower back, hoping that for a moment, he could develop the power to move mountains, the power to be useful, the power to not let another teammate die. "Breathe, Nora, Breathe!"

"M-My leg, it crushed my legs…" She couldn't even look at Ren, her voice so small and so distant. There was no energy to it. She sounded like she'd given up, she could not give up. She was going to get through this.

"You'll be okay!" Ren yelled it at her, hoping that if he was loud enough then the heavens would hear him and grant them a solution to save their friend. This wouldn't be how it ends, not for them, not for the Beacon Prodigies. They'd survived worse.

The slick wet addition of the rain didn't make it any easier to grip the metal nor any easier to touch the painfully cold surface either. Jaune lashed out in his panic. "Why wasn't your aura up!? There was no reason to let your guard down." He knew he was out of line, that scolding his friend for what could be her death was a terrible thing to do, but he couldn't think, he couldn't help, he could only see all those nightmares flooding back before his eyes. He was no closer to saving her. Why wasn't anyone else saving her? Did they expect him to be able to save his own damn friends?! "Yang, help us. PLEASE!"

As if the call knocked her out of a trance, only now did Yang head over to them, closing the gap between them in just a few seconds with her speed, not stopping for anything as she charged dead ahead. Her hair lit up like a beacon in the darkness as her shoulder rammed into the beam, the force carried by her momentum plus her explosive power-up was just enough to launch the beam into the air and off the ship, thankfully freeing Nora. However, that didn't make it any easier to look at the girl below them. Her legs were mangled, flesh almost flattened with every bone fragment causing a series of disgusting bumps under her skin.

Another violent shake of the ship trying to knock them back down, followed almost immediately by a sweep from the tentacle, this time the offending claw hammering down from the other side of the ship, just barely missing Blake as her ears heard it's approach. "How is it moving like that? It's going around the ship, but I can't see anything! I can't even hear it until it's right on top of us. It's like it's coming out of nowhere."

Weiss already had her knight up, shield ready to bat away the next attempt by the creature, frustration stretching her face to reveal gritted teeth. "It must be the fog." She turned to the group, barking out "Ren, get Nora inside." Before whipping back around to watch for the next attack.

The rest of the group formed a circle around their wounded companion, empowered by rage at the sight of Nora hurt, but also dampened by how bad this situation was going. Jaune didn't need to verbalize his gratitude for the protection, hoisting what was left of Nora between him and Ren, absolutely terrified that moving her would just put her in more pain. "You'd still think we'd hear something."

Nora's eyes struggled to stay open as she looked up at her friends, her family for as long as she could. "Jaune… Ren… I'm sorry, I was just…" That she was distracted? That she was cocky? Maybe she was just plain scared. Unfortunately, none of them ever got to hear the end of the sentence as the tentacle materialized from the fog once more, it's pointed end like a hunter's spear, penetrating her broken body. Jaune fell to his knees from shock and Ren, who instantly regretted it, instinctively jumped back. Neither could move to stop it as Nora, along with the metal panels of the wall, were violently yanked back, swallowed by the dark fog before they could register she was gone.

"NORA!" No one knew who screamed it, just that the scream overpowered all other sounds in the void. The anguish of the first blood taken threatened to shatter it all.

Yang didn't think she could stand up to the goliath even with her semblance active, but like hell she was going to let one of her friends go without a fight. Without a second thought, she charged ahead towards the railings, ready to plunge overboard and take Nora back by as much force as she could muster. "Don't worry, I'm on it. Gonna serve up this jelly fish with half a pound of whoop as-" Beneath her feet, the metal turned to tin foil as it was ripped apart in a nanosecond, tentacles sprouting up from both sides and in one simple flick of the wrist, they dragged Yang down into the abyss. She didn't even have time to scream.

"YANG!" It all happened so fast, Ruby's body acted before her mind could process it, before the fresh tears could touch her cheeks, lunging forward only for her arm to be held by the firm grip of her boyfriend.

"Ruby, you can't!" He couldn't muster anything more than a whimper, the only reason he didn't jump in after her to get Yang and Nora was that his legs refused to move. He couldn't save them, he knew he couldn't save them, but he could save her. He could save someone. They couldn't lose Ruby too, what would they do without Ruby?

To his credit, he at least managed to hold her, pulling her into his embrace where her tears burned holes into his shoulder. "We have to go after her, it's got her!"

They needed to be calm. There was no choice, if they continued to lose their heads, they couldn't save anyone else. This idea repeated in Jaune's head, his voice shaken and his arms holding onto Ruby like she was the last life preserver. "We… We can't do anything without a clear head." No sooner had he said that had the fog parted again, only this time it wasn't a tentacle shooting out to grab one of them. No, it was a limp form landing on the deck with a pathetic thump. It was a body. "Oh my… God…"

There was no saving her. Her body was twisted, mangled, chunks missing, eyes glazed over and every inch completely deprived of life. Just a bloated corpse with a broken metal arm forming a jagged knife that cut into her stomach, leaving the slab of flesh to hang back, barely still attached to the body. Ruby didn't know if she was going to throw up or just completely shut down. "Yang… No… No… No no no no…"

Blake cried for them, her knees hitting the deck as she shrieked into the night. "How could this have happened? THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN!" She should have heard something, she should have done something, she should have saved her… It should have taken her instead of Yang.

The void was cruel and gave them no time to mourn, the ship leaned once more as it was rattled by more desperate crashed by the creature. Everything not nailed to the ground fell back, multiple bodies groping the air for something to grip as they fell down the ship. Fortunately, they soon felt their backs hit the railing, clinging to their raft in the eye of the storm. Jaune found the pain currently racing through his back an effective method of calming his nerves, just enough he could try and communicate a statement. "Another hit! If we don't get a plan out of here soon, we'll sink!"

Beside him, his teammate wasn't having as much luck calming down. Scrambling to the edge of their position and peering out into the fog, Ren desperately cried out. "NORA!"

Jaune and Blake launched themselves at the boy, half-convinced he was about to attempt to jump overboard. "Ren, Ren, Ren. REN!"

When Ren found that, no matter how hard he struggled, he wasn't moving an inch, his shoulders sagged. His desperate cries sinking into painful sobs. "S-S-She's gone…"

Quickly, Ren's body was turned around to stare straight into the despairing blue eyes of his leader, Jaune taking hold of Ren's shoulders and trying to talk him down. "Ren, I need you to focus on the here and now. We need you to use your semblance, coat the boat so we can get out of here."

"We can't just leave people behind, Jaune!"

The mere mention made Jaune halt and stole his voice, prompting Ruby to help Jaune's point while choking back her own tears. She had to think of her team no matter how distraught she was. "We're sitting ducks right now, if we leave now and get reinforcements, we might be able to-"

"Move it!" The teens split apart as the tentacle ripped through the railing between them, shooting off like an even larger harpoon and penetrating the floor behind them, digging in deeper and deeper until everyone could hear the loud burst of metal breaking as water rushed into the lower decks.

"It's breached the hull!" Ruby cried out, eyes wide and heart frozen. It wasn't like there was anything they could do about it anyway, as more tentacles sprouted from the void, swarming around the ship, stripping it of its metal flesh inch-by-inch. Over time, the ship grew unstable, quaking and breaking under the imbalance and pressure. There was nothing they could do about it. Ruby couldn't run, she couldn't fight, she couldn't stop this, only stand there as a tentacle shot towards her and smacked her down, causing everything to go black once again.

But like before, it didn't feel like a prolonged slumber or a sickening crack that shut her brain down for a moment, it was a simple cut to her waking up. A blink and she was staring up at a cold ceiling surrounded by shattered kitchen utensils, feeling the soft lull of the ship as the sea carried it. There wasn't a point of entry, there wasn't anything she recognized, just the room in isolation. There was no dizziness, there was no confusion, she wasn't even allowed to be distracted from her situation for one moment.

She struggled to her feet, feeling the full brunt of however far she dropped weigh down on her shoulders. There was nothing she could do. The moment she tried to walk, she felt a red hot pain scream in her right leg, causing her body to crumble against the nearest table, clinging to the rim while she held in the scream she was desperate to let loose. In situations like this, she'd have the protective aura of Crescent Rose to calm her, but she only now realized that it was nowhere to be found. _Okay… Stay calm… You can walk with a limp. You can turn this situation around somehow._

Presumably, she was assumed dead, so the first step was trying to get in contact with everyone else. Regroup, if possible. Well, unless- "No… No…" She wouldn't entertain the thought. She thankfully found her scroll in her pocket and staggered onwards. "Guys? Guys? Jaune? Blake? Weiss? Anybody? Respond!" She didn't realize until she heard the echo of her voice that her inner turmoil was betrayed in her desperate cries. She wasn't calm, she wasn't collected or measure, she was scared. She was begging for just anyone, anyone, to respond and tell her the worst hadn't come yet. "I'm in the lower decks… My leg is broken… I need a status report…" Even while trying her best to carefully drag her leg along, the sting of broken bone lingered, reignited with every step she took. "Is anybody out there?" It felt shameful, crawling around in this state, where her voice was so shaky, where her eyes throbbed from the tears she refused to let trickle down her cheek. She thought that if she just focused on what was ahead she'd distract herself from her heart being torn apart, but all she could see in the dark corridors were her friends calling out for her to save them, to be the hero she always proclaimed herself to be.

Ruby tried noting how featureless the walls were, how degraded and rusty everything looked, but no idle thought could survive for more than a few seconds. She couldn't escape her own despair no matter how hard she tried. There was nothing she could do. She was so starved for something to distract herself with that the moment she caught a glimpse of something white passing through the end of the featureless tunnel, she rushed forward hoping to high heaven that it was who she thought it was. "Weiss? Weiss, are you okay? We need to-" Rounding the corner she found Weiss. Weiss's body. She sat slumped against the wall, her hair littering the ground and her stomach torn open. "Oh god… NO… No…" There was nothing she could do. Form Weiss's stomach sprouted more tentacles, their pointed ends shapes like fangs that crawled towards her, followed by more tentacles sprouting up from the ground, the ceiling, the walls, the doors, surrounding her. "It's everywhere. The ship is going down. No, no, this isn't how this is supposed to end. There has to be something I can do."

She tried to back away, but there was no way to go. She reached for Crescent Rose, but it wasn't there. She tried to close her eyes, but her body just wouldn't let her see anything else. Her eyes… Yes, her eyes! The Grimm killing light of the Gods could save her. However, as quickly as the embers of hope burned they'd flicker back into despair as she found herself unable to unleash her sacred power. There was nothing she could do. "Work dammit, work! I need you silver eyes to work! Please, I don't want to lose anybody else." She didn't understand. The eyes triggered when she sought to protect those she cared about most, why wouldn't they work? Was this her own failure or a sign that her divine gift had abandoned her? Ruby crumbled, unable to stop the tears from flowing as she stared down certain death.

There was nothing she could do.

"It can't be over… Not like this…" She punched the floor, desperately searching for a way she gets out of this alive, for a way this could get better, but nothing came to mind. All she could see was how she died, how her friends died, how she failed. She failed to be a hero, she failed to be a huntress, she failed to be Ruby Rose. Why was she here? Did she fail at her purpose?

There was nothing she could do.

Ruby Rose got to her feet, shaking. She talked to herself and only to herself. "If the ship is down… And the team is down… And there's no way out… Then there's only one thing to do." There was nothing she could do, so Ruby gritted her teeth, whispered to all the people she loved under her breath and charged forward, ready to face the end as she faced the beginning: screaming and kicking. "Make sure no one died in vain… Let's go out with a bang then!"

Ruby Rose plunged herself into the abyss.

In that moment there was both everything and nothing. The world was gone, nothing existed, it was just her in the abyss, dragged under the waters where the light touched nothing. Above her, she could see her life floating in snapshots of memories. She could see Yang pulling her around the garden in her go-kart. She could see Zwie bursting out of a box as a birthday present. She could see her mother standing by the cliff tops ready to show her the best view of the sunset. She could see her fight with Torchwick, the meeting with Ozpin the formation of team RWBY. All the good times they had. The fun nights with team RNJR by the campfire. The reunion. Her first kiss with Jaune after the battle of Haven. When everyone affirmed to her that they'd still follow her even if Salem was immortal. That they trusted her.

They trusted her.

And she failed them.

The memories began to drift away as she was pulled deeper, the pressure on her throat becoming apparent, crushing her lungs with… Nothing. She panicked, reaching out to grab the memories, to grab them and hold them tightly to her chest so they never left her. They were her memories. Her life. She needed them. She couldn't leave them behind.

Her name was Ruby Rose.

Sister of Yang Xiao Long.

Leader of Team RWBY.

Girlfriend of Jaune Arc.

Slayer of Grimm.

Hero of Vale.

Lover of Cookies.

She had red hair.

She wore a combat skirt.

She was Ruby Rose.

She was Ruby Rose!

She was Ruby Rose?

She had to be Ruby Rose.

She wanted to be Ruby Rose.

" _For the last few months. You have been immersed in the virtual roleplaying game, 'Remnant: Shadow War', as with all total immersion simulations, you will experience an initial slew of amnesiac symptoms. Do not panic, this is natural and, in time, your mind will piece your life back together. Please remain calm and follow the instructions of any aides as they assist you in the recovery process."_

And suddenly, she was awake, submerged in green liquid and trapped in a pod.

" _On behalf of Merlot Corp, let me be the first to say: Welcome back to reality!"_


	2. Gasping for Air

There was no thought at first, just a building surge of curiosity before it imploded in confusion. The where, the who and how's were a jumbled mess that her mind could process. Then there were voices, many, many voices, too muffled to be understood, but the emotions they screamed rattled her brain. Some brought up a sense of familiarity, some downright terrified her, but she didn't know why.

She didn't know.

She didn't know…

What did she know? Her mind was so frazzled that for the moment she couldn't quite grasp the bare essentials of her identity or memories, just vague images and voices clawing at her head.

Nothing made sense anymore. The world was flipped upside down and drenched in an unsightly green. Was she still drowning? Was she even alive? Her eyes were wide with panic, her movements frantic, every breath like a rusty nail against her throat as she was forced to breathe through a tiny device covering her mouth. There was no physical feeling, just a dull numbness overtaken by the cold void engulfing her body. Even as her head tilted to see her body bound by a tight straight jacket, limbs locked together by belts, and a vast array of tubes and wiring digging into her back. She couldn't feel them piercing her flesh, but she was pretty sure that lack of feeling just made it even more horrifying to see.

Her body shook more, arms lashing out as much as they could, falling weak against her restraints as the effort was proved futile. She didn't want much, she just wanted to move, to take something off. If she could speak, she would beg to whatever was out there, just let her go, just let her gasp. By god, just let her scream. It was as if she were drowning, but her body never gave out, that pressure strangling her never ended, stuck in a perpetual state of desperation for air.

Suddenly, a seam formed at the bottom of her vision, a small cut in the dimly lit prison that gave way to light. It was small at first, but it slowly tore itself upwards, blinding her with the world outside, before the water dragged her through it. It was only then, when the warm air battered against her exposed cheeks, that she was allowed to gasp. She could feel again.

Everything hit her all at once.

It was sensory overload, the throbbing headache hitting her like a truck, the dryness of her mouth, the chill of the warm air rushing into her lungs as the device hit the floor and relief of her arms as the straight jacket loosened its bounds. She remembered the boat, she remembered the Grimm, she remembered what she lost. She remembered that she died. "Wh- Where am I?" It hurt to speak for a second, forcing her breath to push through her lungs like normal, turning her question into a series of hacking coughs and wheezing.

She could see clearer now, seeing herself in a crumpled mess at the foot of a large wall monitor, a quick glance showed her a picture of her lined up with different graphs and a heart monitor. At her back stood a large pillar reaching into the blinding lights that covered the ceiling, multiple pods like her own hanging off of it like leaves from a tree, multiple bodies being spat out in a dazed stupor as she had.

"Careful now, you haven't walked in a while there, your body needs to re-adjust." The sway of her body came to a stop as two firm hands took hold of her shoulder, urging her to her feet and directing her back to the pod, allowing her to lean against it for support. She couldn't bring herself to look up at his face, but she recognized the voice a little. A softness and underlying awkwardness masked by optimism, not unlike her own.

"Who… Who…" She couldn't finish as she felt the pit of her stomach rumble again, ready to vomit the emptiness away. Her body doubled over, the images of the past flashing once more, this time striking her like a burning iron. "Y-Yang?" She cried out for her sister, for her family. Were they all alright? If she'd survived, then they had to as well. Maybe Uncle Qrow came to save them at the last minute. That's what he does best. "Uncle Qrow?" Ruby tried to push off of the wall, to prove to herself that her legs could still walk, but the man trying to calm her never left her side, keeping her still. She wanted to snap at him for keeping her down, but her scowl quickly dissolved when she looked up to finally face him. "Oscar?"

There was no mistaking that mop of bent black hair or those eyes Oscar shared with the late headmaster. The mere sight of him made her feel safer. They must have been rescued; they must have been. Though, she had to say this was a weird-looking Atlas facility. And since when did hospitals use pods to heal people?

"Ruby?" The voice was low, barely noticeable if not for the fact that Ruby could clearly see Oscar's lips not moving. "Ruby!" This time, the voice called louder, but Ruby had no time to recognize it before Oscar jumped back and arms pulled her into a tight embrace against a lean chest. His hold loosened to allow Ruby a better view of his messy blond hair and blue eyes she knew so well.

"Wait… JAUNE!" Her heart swelled just by crying out his name, tears streaming down her cheeks as she jumped up to tackle her boyfriend's neck, swinging off of his shoulders. "I thought you were-"

"You were gone-"

"-I was alone-"

"-Everything was cold-"

"-Grimm everywhere-"

"-I was drowning-"

The two dorks couldn't tell who was saying what, but they didn't care, they just wanted to make sure they could smother each other with how terrified they were. They both broke away from their babbling, breaking out into a shared laugh that they desperately needed the comfort of, before just trading smiles.

Ruby added simply "I was worried."

Jaune countered "I was worried more."

Ruby stuck her tongue out and claimed victory "I was worried times infinity." At this point, her boyfriend admitted defeat with a bemused roll of his eyes. However, when his head briefly leaned back, Ruby noticed something off. It was definitely Jaune, that she knew for certain, but now that she got a better look at him, there were some additions. His muscles had shrunk somewhat, not back to his beacon days, but definitely less than he had before. He was leaner overall and there was an odd smell coming off of him, like old furniture. And then there was the little thing that stuck out most of all. "You look… Um…"

"What?" Jaune stared at her blankly, the twitching of his lips pulling at that 'thing'.

After several seconds of trying to come up with the best way to say it, Ruby just bit the bullet and blurted it out. "Jaune, when did you grow a tacky mustache?" There it was, nestled comfortably above his up lip, a strip of blond hair tickling at his nose, straight and unkempt. It wasn't big, didn't even reach his cheeks, just a small natural garden that made Ruby cringe a little. It really gave Jaune that… Old weary janitor look. A dashing janitor, of course! She added mentally.

"What!?" His eyes went from bemused confusion to shocked awe when his finger brushed past his bushy lip cover. "What the hell is going on?" The rest of his fingers joined in, squishing, pulling and stretching the hair in the hopes that it turned out to be a fake. No matter how hard he pulled, nothing came off. It was real. However, his surprise didn't end there as his eyes now turned on Ruby, looking over her far more intently than she was used to. Suddenly, about of self-consciousness about her appearance flickered in her mind. These straight jackets weren't doing any of them any favors. "Have you grown… Older?" Jaune asked after a minute of awkward staring, his fingers now poking at her shoulders curiously.

She wanted to open her mouth to question it, but now that he put the idea in her mind, she did notice that instead of her head reaching his chest during their hug, now she was able to quite easily rest her chin against his neck. She'd gotten taller somehow. Looking down at her hands, she immediately noted that her skin was a warmer color, less pale and tighter pulled around her bones. Quickly, she whirled around to the pod, lowering the door slightly so she could gauge her reflection in the glass. Her hair looked familiar, yet tamer. No strands of hair sticking out, no stylized look, not even any dark colors mixed in with the tips of her hair, just a plain dark redhead with short, straightened and finely cut hair. Jaune was right, she seemed older. The thing that made her gasp was when she noticed her eyes. They were brown. "How… How long were we out?"

"For Pete's sake, did you not hear the announcement?" The loud voice startled the two, underscored by an accent that was hard to nail down. There was a lightness to it that choked by an undertone of grit and smoke, drowned in cheap alcohol. "I swear, you're the type of blighters that need stickers to remind you not to poke plug sockets." The stepped into view with a scroll held out in front of him, his mechanic uniform displaying 'Merlot Corp' on its chest while his cap bound together with a handful of silver hair.

Shrugging off the man's comments, Ruby focused on his attire and voice. Bright orange and black color scheme? Grimey and scraggly? Loud and not a hint of higher class tone? "You don't look or sound Atlesian."

"Let me guess. Whatever mud land your arse is from calls you the smart one, ey?" He followed that with a wolfish grin and chuckle oozing with slime. "Oh, look, here comes the next one." He nodded to the other side of the pod setups, where two more people stepped into view, a man and a woman.

"I can barely hear you, my ears are ringing…" Ruby didn't recognize Blake until she spoke, like the familiar elements of the look couldn't come together without that one puzzle piece. Her hair was back to the long set of quills it used to be, but now it straightened out to a very professional look, with some of her hair showing inklings of white. Her frame was thinner, legs longer and less defined, but Ruby could definitely see Blake through it all. And, weighing the odds considering everything else, she then assumed the unusually tall man beside Blake, hair lacking the pink streaks, a more defined chin and eyes that had lost all color was Ren.

As Blake stumbled closer, Ruby could swear that Blake no longer had her cat ears, but she quickly dismissed the ideas. They were probably tucked under her hair. "Whoa, Blake, you don't look so good." Like Oscar had done for her, Ruby quickly moved to her teammate to act as a stable object for Blake to lean on.

"The same could be said about all of us, I think." Ren's voice was flat, slow and methodical. His eyes gazed around the room, but nothing changed in his expression. He was either taking this better than everyone else or he was taking it the worst and completely shut down.

Their new attendant, however, couldn't shut up and give them time to adjust. "You were told to stop moving! Sit down, you numpties, or you'll turn your legs to jelly. The last one we had in here forgot how to feel, ran out of the room with a bunch of glass shards shoved up his bum."

"Look here-" Jaune started looking for any name tags on the man as he talked, trying to remain polite and casual. However, he had to pause when he finally located a name sewn into the man's sleeve. "Wait… Ozpin?"

Apparently, their previous headmaster nodded at them, adjusting his familiar spectacles yet still speaking with a voice that was a far cry from the tempered and wise vocals they were used too. "Well, at least you remembered how to read quickly."

All four friends were cognitive enough to look at each other and share visual confusion, all of them were for sure hearing and saying the same thing. "I… We don't understand, how could you be here?" Blake stepped forward, trying to get a better look at the man. He did look like Ozpin, but how? Did Oscar and him somehow separate while they were on a mission? Then why would Ozpin be speaking and treating them like this? "What is this place?" There was a pause as the flickering thought entered her mind that Qrow or Yang would know what was going on. "Where are our friends?"

'Ozpin' just laughed once more, tapping his scroll against his head cheekily. "Oh, come on, you don't have any of those right now otherwise you wouldn't be here. Ey? Ey?" When all he received was silence, he waved them off dismissively. "Come off it, I'm just joking."

"Can you please start making sense?!" Ruby cried out, her patience coming up short as Ozpin's frustrating behavior dragged out. "Where are we? Where's the ship? Where's the Grimm? Are we still in Atlas?"

He dropped his scroll on the table and stretched out lazily on a chair, not showing the barest hint of understanding. "Well, we haven't seen the Grimm in a while now with the Huntsman clearing 'em out every now and then." There was a pause for the man's face to break into a smile, wiggling a gloved finger at them. "Course, we had to tone down their difficulty for your experience." The smile became a frown when he was only treated with more blank stares and confused looks. He rolled his eyes with a frustrated growl. "Don't you get it? For the past year, you've been roleplaying in a virtual simulation. Never heard of video games before?"

"Simulation?" Ruby's words were barely understandable through her hard scoffing. The idea sounded insane. She stared at the man intently, looking for a crazy grin or overbearing laughter to overtake him.

Ozpin, however, was simply unimpressed as he repeated "Artificial reality? A fabrication of real life? God, do you prats know anything?".

Blake stood stone still, one eye raised while the other closed like she was expecting to blink away some sleep deprivation that would allow this to make sense. "Are you saying we were just playing a game this whole time?" Her voice came with an edge of unimpressed offense, like to even attempt to tell them this odd conclusion was insulting to her. "Our adventures, the fight against Salem, our deaths… All it just an elaborate digital construction for our entertainment?" In exasperation with what she just said, she looked around to her companions, finding solidarity that they were just as disbelieving as she was.

"Pretty much. How'd you like the graphics? Pretty slick, ey?" None of them responded, still united in the thought of 'is this guy for real?'. Ozpin was still going with this story and, begrudgingly, they had to admit he did sound pretty convinced. "Well, we did have a slight issue, about half-way through your run I had to switch out the graphics card for the updated engine. Let me tell you, the shift between two virtual platforms is hell on an Engineer's day." Another choking chuckle followed as Oscar approached them, lugging a toolbox under his arm. "This lad right here spent a week removing assets because the new engine couldn't handle loading all those locations at once."

"Haven did seem a bit empty…" Ren noted idly.

Ozpin pulled the toolbox out of Oscar's grasp, the smaller boy looking over the group with wide smiles. Ruby wanted to confront him on whatever joke Ozpin was playing, but she found the words caught in her throat when she saw how he looked at her, it was different. He didn't look at her like you would a friend, but like a complete stranger you'd never met before. Ozpin continued talking as he rummaged through the box. "Ah, Haven, such a tragedy. You know, I think it's utter rubbish that the restored content mod hasn't been integrated into the standard system yet, you just miss so much content from Mistral."

Jaune already had his fair share of problems with Ozpin even when the man wasn't there, the situation not helped by Ozpin's apathetic and unsympathetic humor. Frustration quickly built up in Jaune's stomach before exploding into him angrily slamming his hand against Ozpin's table, just hoping for one moment this man would take this seriously. "I'm sorry, but this makes no sense!" He yelled, looking to the rest of his friends to make sure they were on the same page. "Our lives couldn't have been fake. I remember arriving at Beacon, I remember Ruby exploding, I remember everything with Pyrrha and when she… I remember… That couldn't be fake."

The man wasn't fazed, grinning up at Ozpin with a face that was only becoming more and more punchable. "Technology can do wonders these days, Lad."

Blake, for the most part, was doing a far better job of holding back her irritation, merely letting it sink into her voice like venom. "At least our situation is amusing for you."

The man just paused mid-rummaging, procuring an odd-looking screwdriver and shrugging. "Hey, by the hundredth time ya watch another drunk bloke stagger out of that pod and back to their real life, you just learn to laugh at the silly faces. Like, right now you look like a fish caught on a hook when it's cheek is getting pulled out." To help his point, he hooked one finger inside his cheek and pulled it out with an expression that seemed to say 'obvious, ain't it?'.

Oscar seemed to notice the rising tension, immediately jumping in between the two speakers with an awkward smile and hands spread out like a wall. His voice was soft and encouraging, his face slowly unfurling into a grimace to reflect his understanding. "It'll be hard to take in, I know, but your memories will come back either way. So… So, it's better to accept it now rather than just stewing in it. Believe me, it'll all wear off soon."

Eyebrows furrowed at these words. On one hand, they all appreciated that Oscar was being far more understanding than the man calling himself Ozpin, but his words weren't that reassuring. They still tried to support this ridiculous narrative. Jaune opened his mouth to respond, but he was quickly pulled back by Ruby, her eyes giving a voiceless order for them all to group up for a second. There were no words exchanged, just exasperated faces and strained gestures. Ruby bit down on her upper lip as Ozpin's words hammered away at her mental focus. It was ridiculous, impossible even, for it to be true. And everyone else knew it couldn't be true. That had to mean something, right? They couldn't all be crazy or mishearing the situation, so something had to be up.

Ren offered a simple answer to the silent question. "Ignoring the possibility of a very bizarre joke, this could just be shared delirium from our sustained trauma on the boat. It'll fade as we heal, hopefully."

Ruby, who had little to no knowledge of medical science to judge Ren's conclusion, nodded firmly. "So, we should just play along for now."

As the rest of the group nodded in agreement, Ozpin's voice boomed over them once more, his tone much giddier. "Say, which one of you was playing Blake?"

Something about that question felt insulting, but Ruby couldn't quite put her finger on it, only seeing that it was reflected in Blake's narrowed eyes as she turned back to him. "Uh, that would be me."

He'd thrown his screwdriver to the side now, a loud slap breaking through the churning of machinery as he clapped his hands together. "Oh, you dog you. Who was your favorite?"

Blake's face was completely blank. "My favorite what?"

"You know. Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more, say no more." His lips curved into a lecherous smile and eyes half-lidded as he leaned forward. "Your favorite snuggle buddy, tummy tickler, bed knocker; say no more, say no more."

"You could just say 'sexual partners'." Blake's voice fought to remain calm, but her eyes betrayed her annoyance and confusion with a twitch. "I didn't have time for that stuff, we were on a quest to save the world."

"You didn't sleep with anyone?"

It was such a blunt and odd question that Blake's face broke into innocent bewilderment, stammering for a moment. "Should I have?"

"That's the whole point of the game for your character!"

"What? I thought it was fighting for Faunus rights?" Everyone looked just as taken aback by her. She always talked about the Faunus, always worked towards the Faunus, everything she did revolved around the Faunus, so how could that have not been her objective?

"Yeah, at first, but when Salem releases the toxic Faunus plague that wipes out the Faunus population, it falls to you with your harem to bring the next generation of Faunus." Blake was at a loss for words, not just from the absurdity of it all, but from just how casual and matter of fact the man made it sound. Like it wasn't a strange thing to say.

She looked to her teammates for support but only found them giving her incredulous looks. Ruby was wide-eyed with parted lips, Jaune was confused and Ren was silently weirding her out. "…Stop judging me!"

Ozpin hopped to his feet, ignoring Blake's cries as he slinked over to Jaune, elbowing the boy in the ribs playfully. "And Jaune, ey? How'd you do?"

Taking this delirious situation in stride now that Ruby and Ren had calmed them, Jaune proudly puffed out his chest and stood in a powerful pose, lips brimming with confidence. "Well, I think I got the hang of MY character pretty quickly." He spread out his hand, a smile twisting with a delayed shrug, throwing modesty out of the window. "Really, I had him sussed from the start. He was so obvious."

A short whistle cut through him, Ozpin nodding and for the first time looking impressed. "Oh? You found the God Shard that early, huh?"

Jaune stopped. He looked at everyone else, keeping up the smug look, but now with much less energy as he quickly asked: "Sorry, the what?".

"The piece of the God of Light that lives inside Jaune. You know, the God of Light left a piece of himself behind to be reborn as a human with no memory and gain a greater understanding of the mortals he governed. He inherits his ultimate power, becomes a divine warrior and realizes he's not good enough to be a God, so he gives Ruby the final piece she needs to ascend and become a new Goddess of Remnant."

There was a delay of a few seconds before Jaune and Ruby collectively yelled out "WHAT?!"

Ozpin, once more, shrugged it off, indifferent to their confusion, but amused by their mistake. "It's obvious, innit? How Jaune could live in Remnant for so long and not know any basic facts about it? Why did he have so much aura? Why does the Headmaster character just let him into Beacon and make him team leader despite showing no skill and forging his documents? Why's Tyrian interested in him? Because of his fractured memory and true identity." When they still didn't seem to get it, Ozpin's eyes widened, and he began to splutter. He dropped back into his seat, gasping for breath as laughter threatened to shatter his insides, erupting from his mouth like a broken voice box. He couldn't even try to contain himself. "Hang on. Hang on a bloody minute. Are you telling me you've been playing the useless twat version of Jaune this entire time!?" His fist slammed against the chair, followed by another howl of laughter as Jaune's short-lived smugness drained from his face. "Oh, that's too much, lad. Too much!"

Ruby didn't believe a word of this, she really didn't. But she did feel the sudden need to snuggle up against her boyfriend's arm to give him support, his own expression falling even deeper at the man's laughter.

A beeping sound from above them stole away the rest of the conversation, prompting Oscar to jump up and peer through a computer monitor that Ruby could only see the back of. "Ozpin, the next group is on their way, we should really speed this up."

"Speed this up?" Jaune managed to squeak out incredulously.

Ren seemed to concur with the statement, still seemingly reserved and trying not to react too much. "We still have so many questions!"

Jaune caught his voice and added on "I haven't even processed it yet. What do we do?"

"Calm down, Love. Just head down there to the recuperation chamber and your memories will start coming back soon." Ozpin stretched every syllable as one does with a child as if the four weren't listening to what was being said.

Blake balked at this, her arms flapping up before dropping back down in a half-finished gesture. "Just sit and wait? That's your solution?"

By this point, Ozpin was back on his feet, incessantly shooing the group away, towards the now open door. "If you don't mind, I have to set up for the next group. Go."

As they were hurried along, they spotted another group of four being shuffled past them, bearing a similar color scheme to their own. "And our memories will come back?"

"Well, there are some cases where they never come back… But I'm sure you'll be fine. Go!" And just like that, the door slammed down, locking them out with Jaune pushing against it, desperate to get back inside.

There they stood, in the middle of a brightly lit room that was only just a bit bigger than a prison cell, with not a word between them. Ruby found Blake was just staring ahead, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. Ren leaned against the wall, his fingers burrowing into the underside of his chin, just able to see the trembling of his flesh as he finally let the impact show. And Jaune had propped himself up against the thick steel door, pushing with all his might and yelling at Ozpin to open this door so he could… He never answered what he'd do, with Ruby going so far as to assume that Jaune had nothing in mind, but this seemed to be far less about accomplishing something and more about resisting Ozpin's words and directions. Her arms hooked around his waist, lightly tugging him back as his knuckles still wrapped even against the air, his skin flushed red with sweat and his eyes shut tight. "Jaune, please, no use hurting yourself." At her pleading, he stopped, his body language immediately deflating and his lower lip trembling. She hugged him tighter as she saw it, saw that he was scared of accepting what they'd been told after things were becoming harder to dismiss as fiction.

Around them, the chairs were simple cushions with legs outlining a small coffee table and Ren was already sinking into one of them, his head in his hands and his breathing exercises already on the way. Blake was the first to break up the silence, taking multiple attempts to keep her voice steady as she talked. "So… This is it then?" Another silent pause as they all felt the air around them weigh down on their minds. Ruby struggled to keep her face hopeful as she witnessed how Blake and Ren, two people she knew for keeping a clear head and in check, looking utterly defeated. "This is really happening?"

"Looks like it…" Ren muttered, breathing deeply into his hands.

"This is real." Jaune pushed off of Ruby and paced about the room, fingers running through his new haircut and pulling it back.

"There's always the chance we're all just having the same nightmare." When Ruby spoke, she immediately felt like a wall of eyes surrounded, staring down at her with silent judgment and withheld bitterness. Her words were lost to the void as everyone else seemed to just dismiss them, whether because they couldn't hear them or they couldn't take them, she didn't know.

"So… Is that it?" Jaune almost sounded like he was choking, not even bother to try and hide his bitterness anymore. "Our lives, our friends… Our families? We're just supposed to accept that they were fake?" He almost tried to punch the wall, but he decided against it at the last second, stopping his hand and just angrily shaking it. "We don't even know who each other is, do we?"

The other two slumped at his words, but Ruby shook her head firmly and jumped between them. Reaching out to both of them with outstretched hands. "Hey, I know who you guys are. We worked together for years."

This time Jaune did punch the wall, the loud 'thwomp' causing the girl to jump in fright. "No, our avatars worked together for years. We probably didn't even know each other's names before we got hooked up." He turned around, his back settling against the wall as he nursed is now bruised knuckles.

Ruby sighed, stepping up to her boyfriend with a comforting smile, resting her fingers on his hurt hand, but he just ripped it away, as if frightened by her touch. Her eyes widened and her hand went to her heart, it hurts more than she realized to see them all like this. "We have to remain calm. It won't do us any good to start stressing ourselves out." She found it hard to control her voice, but she knew she had to remain together and calm to keep everyone else from sinking deeper.

"You want us to remain calm?" He spat out, the surprising amount of venom under his tone made Ruby shrink under it, her heart feeling as small as she used to be. She'd never had Jaune lash out at her like this before. It didn't feel nice. "We had families, people we loved and would die for. Now, we wake up… And everyone's a stranger." He pushed past Ruby, leaving her in silence as he stomped around the room, trying to work off all these emotions overwhelming him. Ruby shuttered for a moment. She wasn't a stranger. She wasn't. Jaune didn't mean it, right? He's just… Stressed.

As if to save them all from dealing with the outburst, the door pulled itself up to reveal a tall and strict looking woman wrapped in nurse's garb. She had a resemblance to Glynda Goodwitch. "Ah, you must be the Jenkins party."

They looked at each other oddly, then back as Blake shook her head. "I think you have the wrong room."

'Glynda' looked down at her scroll, eyes flipping through presumably a list before furrowing in confusion. "No, Recuperation Room 078, Jenkins party."

"Oh god." Jaune's groans were sad to hear, but they at least sounded better than his spite. The man scratching the back of his head as he exclaimed "One of us has the last name 'Jenkins'. No wonder we went for more colorful names in the game."

The woman either didn't take note of their conversation or didn't care, pulling behind her a trolley with four large duffle bags, which she proceeded to drop on the table before them and stroll out, not a comment of explanation or comfort to be heard. Everyone seemed to distance themselves from the bags as if the lady had just trapped them in the room with explosives that would trigger with any sudden moves. Blake breathed out a sigh. "Four Bags." Her eyes flickered between her friends. "Four people." A gulp was heard from Jaune. "Looks like our answers are here."

Ren nodded in agreement, eyes peering down at the bag, looking over them through hesitant eyes stuck in a mid-flight-or-fight response. "Who wants to take the plunge?"

"I'll do it." There was no hesitation for Ruby, she let her confidence and strength flood into her voice as she fearlessly stepped forward. She was determined to hold her friends together through this crisis, and she would, whether they were helping her or not. She just had to show them that there was nothing to worry about and everything would be fine. "I know this is… This is a hard moment, but I know who I am, and I know who you guys are. You're my friends. No matter what happens. Even if it turns out you all have really bad names… I'll be sticking with you every step of the way." They all looked up at her with reserved, but desperate looks. They flickered back and forth but nodded with a silent thanks for the kind words. Even here, they would still follow her lead. With that, Ruby turned to the first bag, planting one foot firmly on the table to push herself over it as she unzipped the top, eyes narrowing as she peeled through the inside.

"Well, one of you is a complete neat freak." Her voice came off lighter, hoping she could alleviate some tension with some levity. She started pulling items out one by one. "Pressed suits from a century ago, three layers of handkerchiefs, way too many shades, two bottles of hand sanitizer, all labeled in alphabetical order and-" In her palm, a very dangerous looking handgun gleamed under the light. It was stainless steel, resembling Ironwood's gun, but a lot bulkier with different 'levels' printed across the barrels. According to its label, it was nicknamed the 'Hand Canon'. "Whoa, someone's packing heat." Perhaps at least one of them was still a Huntsman in this world.

"Any id?" Jaune asked, a sliver of envy breaking from his gaze as he looked at the mean-looking firearm.

"Here it is! Let's- Huh…" She slid a thin card out from the front pouch, holding it up to the light where her lips parted for an impressed whistle. In one smooth motion, she tossed the card at Ren, who had enough reflexes to swipe it out of the air. "Hello, Operator Kuriyuri."

His brow perked up, intrigued ass he gazed over the front of the card. "There's no first name."

Ruby shrugged, finger pressed against her temple. "Hey, maybe your parents just had a really specific career path planned for you and named you 'Operator'."

"So what? You're a doctor?"

Blake took a sideways glance at the blond doofus. "Jaune, why would a doctor be packing a gun?"

"Look at the back," Ren flipped the card over, showing them a familiar set of initials behind a set of different numbers and dates. "SDC branding." His pinky came up to tap against the bottom blurb. "Seems I have a license to kill."

Immediately, Ruby cast aside the tension of the situation in favor of being amazed, even if this probably didn't compare to a Huntress status. "Wow, Ren, you must be some sort of super-secret agent like Johnny Thunder or 0011!"

Ren got up to pursue his supposed belongings himself, uncovering a small, purple book with no title. He regarded it with suspicion, with all the technology around them, it seemed odd to have a physical paper journal. "And a notebook? I'll look at it later."

As he picked up the duffle bag and brought it over to his chair, Ruby moved on to the next reveal. "Next up is…" When the zip was pulled, it was like the bag exploded with a thick fog of old gym shorts and cheap deodorant, blasting fumes into the nose of poor, helpless Ruby. She reeled back in horror, clutching her nose tightly. Like the brave hero she was, her free hand ventured into the bag and grabbed a hold of some thick fabric and yanking it out. In her hand, she held aloft a long, sad-looking coat with its color long since drained. "What innocent animal was butchered and stuffed in here? It smells horrible. Ew."

Jaune rolled his eyes at the exaggerated reaction. "You're overreacting, Ruby. It's just a vomit green coat."

He was surprised to find Blake raising her hand, her face weary as she reeled back from the coat. "No, no, she has a point. That…" She struggled to call it a coat as she repeatedly pointed at it, spluttering out "That thing needs to be burned."

The coat safely cast into the corner of the room where it could harm no one else, Ruby procured the next article of clothing, a pair of large, bright orange shoes stretching far too wide to fit on anyone's foot. "Look these shoes. Is one of you a clown? And this plaid flask is just tacky." Next up was a wallet covered in ripped up receipts, threads hanging loosely over the side in abundance. "Here's the wallet." Flipping it open, more paper dropped out, but she soldiered on and pulled back layers of pouches to find anything that could identify the owner. "A Fruity Tootie club card, expired. A keycard to a room at the 'Open Lotus'. A button. A button. A button. A-"

Ren held up his hand as A pile of buttons flooded out of the wallet from different holes. "A lot of buttons, we get it."

The next item made Ruby's eyes bulge out as she cautiously held the next item by the corner of it's packaging with her nails. "Who keeps a condom in their wallet?!"

Everyone had their fair share of reactions, Jaune most of all looking appalled. "A sad, sad person. No dignity, no pride, just desperation and-" Jaune stopped mid-sentence as he noted everyone's eyes on him, resulting in his next gasp coming out as more of a sob. "Oh god, I'm a Jenkins…" Ruby hesitantly pulled out the ID to confirm. "A Larry Jenkins!" He dropped onto his seat with a howl, throwing his head back as his fingers massaged his temples. "I can see it all. I walk around in clown shoes, wear some rags I probably stole from a hobo, grew a car dealership stache, live off of unemployment checks, spend my days complaining about women on the internet, can barely open a door let alone lift weights and carry around a condom one size too big to feel better about myself." He gripped his hair tightly, groaning like a creaky wooden floor. "Since when did being Jaune Arc become an upgrade!?"

Ruby awkwardly rushed over to him, patting his back like one would poke a strange animal, not entirely sure how to comfort someone like this. "Breath, Jaune. Breathe." She started nervously giggling because she was always told that laughter was infectious, but Jaune seemed immune so far. "It's okay. Jenkins is a great name, right guys?" She finished that sentence with enough emphasis on the request for encouragement, that it came out as a threatening grunt to Blake and Ren.

"Uh, yeah… Totally…" Ren gave off the most unenthusiastic woo Ruby had ever heard.

Blake nervously forced a smile as she held up a big thumbs up for Jaune. "Rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it."

"Do they?" Jaune asked, head in hands and utterly defeated.

Ruby squeezed torso in a tightly knit hug, calling out loudly to Blake "Yes, we do!" Again, she set off with the laughter, pulling away and slipping past Jaune to pick up the odd shoes with all her enthusiasm pumped to elven. "And clown shoes? Man, I love clowns! They're like the symbols of childhood wonder. You're a wonder, Jaune."

Jaune got to his feet, teeth gritted, and eyes determined as he repeated Ruby's words under his breath, getting louder and more confident with every repeat. "Yeah… You're right. I am a wonder. A man who brings joy to those around him. A man who knows there are more important things than the small conveniences in life like good clothes and frivolous pleasantries. Someone who's considerate enough to always have protection ready, because he knows he'll be getting it, but knows that it's cool to be safe! Not a loser who'd… Throw away months of his life living in a virtual reality game." And all at once he deflated once more, groaning out a bitter sigh before moving past Ruby. He could at least help with unloading the bags, picking up the next one and rummaging around for an ID. "And behind bag number three is… Ruby!"

At the mention of her name, Ruby was filled with a sudden burst of excitement. Yes, this situation hadn't been the best so far, but there was always that tingling sensation of whimsy at the mystery of her own 'identity'. Again, she didn't believe any of this for a second, but it was like waking up on Christmas day and hoping you didn't get socks again. "Yes, I'm next. Who am I? Am I someone famous? Am I amazing? Maybe I'm a truck driver. Or a superhero. Gotta be a huntress at least, right?"

Jaune held her at arm's length as she bounced on over to him, desperately reaching for the ID as Jaune read it out. "Audry Averg. That's an… Odd name."

Ruby's spunk faded a little from that reveal, but she still didn't let it push her down. A name was just one thing, you could change your name, but what about her life? "Okay, not as cool as Ruby Rose, but that's fine. What have I got in my big bag of goodies?"

"Uh… Blankets. Some tissues. A slinky. A wallet…" With every announcement, Ruby's smile twisted into a progressive frown, eyes sinking and shoulders sagging. "Hey, some gum! Oh, it's cardboard flavored."

"That can't be it!" She exclaimed, snatching the bag out of his hands and jumping onto the table, resting it against her shoulder as her hands vigorously dug through the contents. "Come on, there's gotta be more in here." One by one she pulled out a whole set of grim and gloomy-looking outfits. "Where's the color? My clothes all look like I stepped out Atlas Teacher's catalog!" Her frustration was every growing until she was sticking her head inside the bag, determined to find just one thing that was actually notable. "…Is that a stamp collection?" Needless to say, she was disappointed.

As Ruby silently stewed over the reveal that her bag was perfectly average, Blake stepped up to the plat, looking over the final bag. "I guess I'm up." She felt a great weight to her fingers when they caressed the zip, her mind overflowing with what could possibly lie in store for her in this bag. However, if her teammates could go through theirs, then so could she. Biting her lip, she took the plunge and yanked the zipper down in one quick strike, immediately being hit by a variety of strong, yet sweet and expensive smells. The first thing that met her was a picture of herself strapped to the inside of the bag. "That's my picture hanging there, alright."

Ruby peeked over her shoulder, taking in the absolutely grumpy expression the woman in the picture held. "You don't look that happy."

"I would expect," Blake stated absentmindedly, pushing the picture inside, only to be overtaken by bright colors and shimmering jewels underneath. "Whoa, look at this stuff." Ruby gasped behind her, hands lunging for the bag and letting neatly folded golden dresses and diamond-encrusted heels unfurl onto the table. "These dresses… These are the types of clothes you need the money that would take a lifetime to earn just to buy one." Everyone crowded around the bag, stuck in utter awe as they took different items out, all looking pretty damn expensive. Blake found herself pulling a pair of keys from the corner of the bag, a bright white pass hanging between them. "I have a limo in storage."

Jaune scoffed. "Oh great, life's mocking me now."

"Several credit cards. Trophies from Atlas Academy." The contents ended up in one huge heap on the table, the other bags left forgotten. Ren held up a small box, opening it to reveal to Blake a wide assortment of different emblems and symbols emblazoned upon badges. "Don't know what these badges mean." Was all she could say. Next, she found her hands pooling at a slim white bar, barely as big as her hand. Poking at the edges, she found that the bar was split in half and could be pulled apart, however when she attempted to push one side, it just made that half shoot out, leaving a hard-light projection in its wake. It must have been some sort of new Scroll. "This looks high tech."

Blake wouldn't think of herself as a money-hungry person, or someone who likes to flash her expenses, but seeing this pile of items that were probably far more expensive than she was, it was very overwhelming. And it didn't let up when Ren handed her the ID card.

Ruby beamed up at Blake, reaching for the ID. However, she stopped when she noticed Blake had gone still, it was like she was frozen solid. "What does it say? Is your name funny? I bet it's funny."

"I… I…" Blake's eyes widened, a face stretched in a mix of shock of guilt. A shaking hand reached up to run through her hair for the first time since she got here, finding that there were no extra sets of ears there. Her mind flashed back to the picture, where her golden eyes were replaced with hard blue ones. Her lower lip trembled when she finally worked up the willpower to look back at Ruby, practically choking on her own words. "It says… Wither Schnee."

"Holy crap."

"We had two Weiss's all along?"

"No… No… It makes no sense." It was all becoming a blur. Everyone's voices melding into one, unable to distinguish between the other, everything becoming louder, loud enough to sting her eardrums. She couldn't be, she told herself, she couldn't be anyone other than Blake Belladonna. This had to be wrong. In her heart, it felt like experiencing the death of her entire family at once, with a simple name immediately poisoning all those memories. She felt sick, but her stomach was empty. And suddenly she yearned for the embrace of Ghira and Kali one last time. When she could hear everyone fine again, she found herself on the floor, curled up in the corner, breathing erratically. "I need a minute."


	3. Under the Ice

No one kept track of time in that room, hours could have passed, and seasons ended only for it to seem for the group that they were still stuck in the same second of revelations. In the shadows of their awkward situation, there had been little comments, not enough to fully shake off the shackles of silences tugging at them, but enough to fill the void and remind each other that they were still there.

Some had little to say and some just didn't want to be distracted, Blake most of all as she shot down any attempt to discuss her newfound heritage with an unstable glare. Not a powerful one where the eyes narrowed with an implication of threat and intimidation that made someone back down. No, it was a failed attempt, one where Blake tried to glare but couldn't summon all the energy and rage to produce one, leaving the receiver instead feeling so guilty that they couldn't finish their thought.

"I can't believe we're doing this. We haven't gotten any of our memories back yet!" In a blink, they were now back in a featureless hallway, a hallway that could have been any part of the building and easily lost. Ruby didn't pay attention to the direction, everything just looked the same to her, but instead focused on her comrades who she assumed had better navigational awareness than her.

"We spent hours in that room and nothing came from it but moping around." Her response was measured, keeping up that bright and encouraging smile that made her stand out against the low lighting and bland grey walls. There was always that unshakable confidence that surrounded Ruby, it's what made her a magnet for people good and bad, a belief so strong that just listening to her gave you almost no choice but to trust what she was saying. It's only set back was that in the void, even Ruby's compassionate yells fell to a whispering volume. "We have to take matters into our own hands."

Ren, now far more intimidating with a clean dark suit replacing his restraining overalls, was a good boost for her in his own response, being the most level headed about the situation, at least outwardly. Ruby was sure that in private Ren would express his frustration, where it's safe too and there was no shame in that; it was similar to how she approached her own problems. "They did say that it's possible our memories will never return, so might as well start trying to track our old lives down." Now, even with Ruby's limited understanding of emotional and mental maturity, she did note the saddening element of acceptance to his tone. It was best to accept reality and move on to improving their situation, yes, but accepting wasn't the same as processing the situation. And Ruby was beginning to cast worried glances at her friend of fewer words in fear that he hadn't had come to as much terms with their problem as she originally thought.

"Guess we have to try and get used to it." Blake's tone was rarely ever enthusiastic, even when it was rife with warmth or joy there was always a certain level of deadpan played to level out the emotions, so Ruby didn't worry about that; at least Blake seemed to talk more which made it easier for Ruby to help her out. What didn't help was that her switch into 'Miss Schnee's' clothes proved only to accentuate the cutting nature of her tone, the look making Ruby think of an alternate universe where Goodwitch dyed her hair black and decided to become a feared secretary. Already bad enough with verbal social interaction, Ruby wouldn't judge her chances well on finding the right responses to the complex and confusing realm of body language.

Still, the little rose pumped her fist into the air and stuck a pose no one seemed to notice. "That's almost the spirit! Now, Blake, you said you had a limo?"

"Yeah, sure." At first, there was a delight as Blake tossed the keys into Ruby's open palm, but that dissolved little by little at the sight of Blake's completely reserved expression. Not the type of reserved Ruby fell too when she was in a crowded place and feared people talking to her, but the type when you're trying to hold back emotions, not letting those around you see the cracks in your mask or make you look weak.

The girl picked up the pace to pull in front of her friend, now walking backward as Blake made no effort to break stride. "Blake… Don't worry, we're gonna get through this, you'll see!" Big, toothy smile, power thumbs up and congratulatory, practically forcing Ruby's bright glow onto the gloomy aura ahead.

However, the woman was firm is swatting away that ray of sunshine, her trembling brow now making it clear she was holding back a bit of anger and bitterness, not wanting to lash out at the girl that was just trying her best to help. "Ruby, currently I am thinking. It's easier to think when you're not talking to me. So, just leave me out of this and let me follow, okay?" Blake didn't want to make Ruby feel bad, she didn't want to sound so annoyed at a friend trying to help a friend; even seeing the girl's faltering smile made Blake feel sick at how bad it came out, but bluntness was what worked best when dealing with Ruby.

"Oh. S-sure thing, Blake. Whatever you need." Ruby would never admit when she felt bad. Too pure for that. She'd say if she felt guilty, or disgusted or even annoyed, but never bad. Especially if it were one of her teammates who caused it, because she'd never forgive herself if she felt like she had thoughtlessly blamed her loved ones for 'her' problems. So, it was no surprise that she took Blake's request to leave her alone on the chin, with a tempered nod and a flash of understanding. She knew Blake meant nothing bad by it. Didn't make it hurt less.

"Does anyone even know where we're going?" Jaune immediately reminded Ruby that there were those who were as lost as her, his lips protruding in that deeply annoyed puffer fish look men got when they were trying to brood. However, that look was the least of his worries in Ruby's eyes. Ever since they left the recuperation chamber, Jaune had seemingly become the hottest person in the room and not in the good way. His skin flushed a building red, breaking out into hives that dragged back his already messy hair into an unkempt mass of twists and sweat prisons. By this point, he'd practically ripped apart his collar and it's polka dot buttons by how much he yanked down on it like he had an invisible tie. And considering his clothing already looked like it was patched together and stretched out, she feared he was going to end up turning his clothes two size too big for him. Was it nerves? Anger? Fear? It could have been an overwhelming fusion of all three for all Ruby knew.

She tore her thoughts over to Ren as she had to suddenly dance around his arms, now throw out around him in a grand gesture to play up his sarcastic response to Jaune. "Down enough identical looking, empty hallways to assume someone is intentionally trying to drive us insane?" He would have laughed, chortled even at his own joke, pathetic as it was, if that was something the man did. Then again, maybe it was something he did. Already, the man who called himself 'Ren' imagined that his real self laughed a lot. He was the funny guy no one found funny. Laughed too much. A laugh that was really annoying, dragged itself out and sounded more like a fish choking on land, gasping for the water rather than an actual laugh. Yeah, that was probably him.

Ruby leaned to the side to avoid the avalanche of dandruff that fell from Jaune scratching his head in tempered confusion. She might have not liked this absolutely bland attire she'd recovered from her bag, all long sleeves sewn so tight she could barely feel her arms and a long grey pencil skirt that she knew would only get in the way in battle, but she didn't want it to get dirty. "There has to be a sign or something around here." At this, Ruby's mind suddenly brought up the question of if the staff cleaned the people left in the pod or just left them in there to develop all sorts of nasty hygiene problems. Then again, hygiene aside, that would at least mean she didn't have strangers poking at her naked body while she was unconscious. Wait, is that why the water was green!? EW!

Ren seemed to take a cursory glance around the seemingly endless row of hallways as they reached an intersection, his brow raised to signify his own befuddlement with the lack of directions. Sometimes, Ruby swore that despite his lack of vocal range, the man had made an art out of brow wiggling. "Maybe it's an ironic joke by the building's architect to create a building that is hard to navigate specifically for the people who will be waking up lost."

No one picked a direction, but their legs carried them down a hallway in unison whether they cared to change it or not. Jaune's shoulders slumped as he walked, casting shadows across half of his body as a bitter scoff erupted from his throat. Ruby was about to answer but was silenced by the surprise of Blake speaking up, a somber tone mixed in with an unconvincing laugh following her. "Going by the staff we've met so far? Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised."

Noting Jaune's body language as she kept her eye on him, Ruby decided that he needed a good dollop of sugary, physical affection to cheer him up. Darting forward, she reached for his hand. A gesture he'd always seemed fond of back when they first started dating. However, when she reached for his hand, his arm seemed to have suddenly swung at just the right angle and time to completely miss Ruby's hand, leaving her to awkwardly giggle as he looked back at her, trying to act like she hadn't just failed to grasp his hand. She'd try again next time. The same thing was unlikely to happen twice, right? "Everyone here does seem to be a little… You know, jerky."

Once more, she reached for him and once more she missed. Must have had some leftover bad luck or something. She felt worse when he spoke, a clear aggressive presence to his tone that made her think about how she didn't do enough to comfort him. "Well, what do you expect? Who else would take up a job where they have to tend to and watch people take part in one of the most pathetic experiences ever?"

She thought to inject enough positivity for the both of them, bouncing up between them all and laughing off the comment with a slight bit of offense at the knock against one of her favoured childhood pastimes. One in which she totally kicked Jaune's butt at three times a week. "Oh, come on, Jaune. Playing video games isn't pathetic. We all do it."

He didn't look at her when he talked, which she found a bit off-putting as he crossed his arms and dipped his head forward. "We play video games for a few hours or so. We take breaks. We don't outright leave our entire lives behind to spend months of our time in a video game."

Before she could protest how the amount of time she'd put into video games reflected on her as a person, Ren looked over his shoulder to weigh in on the matter. "He does have a point. You have to ask; what type of people would throw months of their lives away to live a fantasy life? People who have no life worth living?" There was a surprising gut punch to the implication behind his words, loudly smacking Ruby with the idea that 'Audrey' wasn't as great a person as Ruby Rose, just someone who wanted to be Ruby Rose. An idea that Ruby neither would nor wanted to entertain. "Or people who have something to run from."

"So…" Ruby paused, taking it all in. After a moment, her grin returned, positivity pushing through her thoughts and championing her conclusions. "We could be, like, super-criminals in hiding?" She could see it now: Audrey Averg, a master thief who stole from the right people at the wrong time, gives to the people, utterly stylish and lays low with a common disguise of an ordinary woman.

"You're making reality sound more exciting than it usually is." They could almost hear the loud pop of Ruby's mental balloon as Blake jabbed it with a sharp pin, immediately drawing out a pout from the girl.

"I'm just staying positive, guys."

Jaune spoke with little thought put into his meaning, the words just slipping out of his mouth like a loose faucet as the rest of his mind was preoccupied with stemming back the tides of brewing anxieties and demands. "Someone has too." It reminded him of how he felt when Ozpin had been revealed to be keeping more secrets from him, except this time he didn't have any target to lash out at, to blame, to be the sole cause of his anger. It was like something was bubbling under his skin, filling up an inch too high, but unable to put enough pressure to rip through to the other side, just pushing and pushing with no relief or simmering.

"What does that mean?" Ruby's eyes seemed comically small whenever she narrowed them, marching just a little faster to keep up to eye level with Jaune and pressure him with her gaze.

"Nothing. Nothing." He shook his head, falling back a little behind Ruby with a tired sigh. He was being genuine, never wanting to imply a serious insult to his friend, it was just pushed out by the pressure of everything he'd been holding back. Not that he would burden her with that knowledge. However, as he thought this, he noticed Ruby let out a nasty yelp. It wasn't your usual pained yelp accompanied by swear words but like the cry of a puppy who's tail you stepped on, immediately sending all of your protective instincts into overdrive. "Are you okay, Ruby?"

When Jaune immediately materialized by her side, worried and gentle, Ruby managed to smile through the sudden, but light pain. It was nothing serious or maddening, she just felt a sudden jolt of red hot aching rip up her right leg as a consequence of trying to speed up too much. For a moment, her mind looked back to that moment, back when she was all alone in the lower decks of the ship after her leg broke. It made her feel helpless. "I-It's fine, my leg is just a bit… Fragile."

They all seemed to stop even as she tried to carry on, Jaune crouching down to softly grasp the leg, checking for any visible injuries while Blake came closer with all her previous deadpan attitude buried under clear cut concern. "Does it hurt?" There was an instant shiver in the room despite the warm bodies crowding around her, though she didn't know whether this was from someone touching her wounded leg or because she never was much for anything touching her exposed legs in the first place. Though, maybe the fact that Jaune had to lift her dreadfully long skirt to get a look at her leg added an extra embarrassing effect to it.

"Only when I try to put too much pressure on it." Her panicked giggle grew as she simply waved off their worries, caught between being happy, as well as touched, that her rather minor injury brought them out of their slumps for a moment and being annoyed that she was keeping them up. "Must have had it before we got put in the pods." Pulling back from Jaune, she reached down to rub in, feeling the sting ebb away. Nothing major, but noticeable when she tried to run so fast. She was a bit late to the fitting irony of the injury. "It's probably just one of those little aches that'll fade in a few hours."

Now that Blake was up and talking, with Ruby assuring her that she was fine again, those now blue eyes turned to Jaune. "You know, I have a more prevalent question."

"What?" He jumped a little, the suspicion in her tone making him feel like he was about to be accused of something dire.

She peered at him through narrowed eyes, still retaining her usual look of scrutinizing as all the gears in her head turned in perfect harmony. "Why is your name the holding name here? Why are we the 'Jenkins Party'? Why is the hobo's name signed and not the rich girl who probably paid for all of this?"

Jaune held up his hands as if to say that he had nothing to do with whatever crime she was thinking up in her head. "Maybe she didn't want her name associated with it?"

Coming to Jaune's rescue, Ren, now bent over a small curve in the otherwise straight wall to just barely squint out words on the wall, called over to them. "Oh look, parking storage is this way!"

This set Ruby off into a rush, well as much of a rush you can do when you're limping, in the direction Ren pointed, not even trying to suppress the squee that followed. "I've never been inside a limo before. I'm going to press all the buttons!"

Jaune tentatively followed after her, trading a curious glance with Ren as the other two soon followed. He found it much easier to keep up with Ruby now, leaning past her with a single finger poking the air, simulating said buttons. "What buttons? It's a car. What, are you gonna spam the windows?"

She paused, eyes shifting nervously from left to right as her head sank. "…No." Immediately, her head shot up, fingers snapping in an excitable revelation. "Maybe I could dr-"

"Ren, take the keys from her."

Within moments Ruby wore a heavy frown as she watched Ren shake her prize teasingly in front of her, the keys hanging off his swift, thieving fingers. "Way ahead of you." As he spoke, they broke out into a larger room, one that actually looked different from the monotony of the hallways, which in of itself made them all breathe a sigh of relief. It was what you'd expect from a parking lot for the most part, a wide space held up by pillars and chalk, squeezing hundreds of cars together in a tight, compact space. However, where it was different was that the section with the cars themselves was blocked off by a hard light force field with a large terminal in the center of the room.

"Do we even have a destination in mind? Where would we go?" Blake asked while Ren made his way over to the obvious point of interest, her gaze flickering over the various cars, surprised at just how many there were. How many people were currently housed in this building? If she didn't know any better, she'd say the population of an entire town was fitted in here.

"We do have some keys to apartments," Ren suggested, not looking away from his destination, furrowing his eyebrows as the bright blue light of the console window hit him. It flickered a few monologues of appreciation for choosing this brand of vehicle storage system, but Ren just tuned it out, thinking further on his suggestion. "Perhaps we should try checking out our houses, the people there are bound to know us a little." It was an amusing image to say the least, of them turning up at their own doors to ask random strangers if they were the noisy neighbor everyone remembered.

Blake reached down to bat Ruby's hand away from incessantly poking the hard light forcefield, locking the girl down with a lightly scolding gaze before she looked back over to Ren, a slow exasperation to her voice. "Are we sure we're ready for that?" The group looked over each other before Ren replied, a sense of unease settling between them at the reminder, even for the ever-positive ball of sugar, Ruby.

"We have to face it eventually."

"Can we just…" It was rare to hear Blake pause like this, her face scrunched up like she was gritting her teeth and fighting back gasps. "Just drive around a little while?" She seemed to distance herself from everybody else, holding her shoulders in a tight one-way embrace, as if she was trying to hold herself together. There was a flicker of understanding shared between her and Ren, both having similar thoughts and questions pounding in their heads, but wanting to stay silent and avoid any potential outbursts in front of their friends. Whether for their own sake or their friends, they didn't know.

"I think we could all use a little break." There was something relieving about Jaune's agreement and assurance, putting on a smile for the two and jogging over to join Ren at the odd terminal, finding a slight bit of pleasure in the excitement of building up this limo.

Ruby joined in, racing forward, grabbing Blake by the arm and tugging her along with a honey-filled chirp. "Besides, who doesn't want to drive around in a limo for a few hours? It's a limo!" As they reached the terminal, Ren was presented with a scanner prompting him to hold up an ID. Blake handed him the Schnee ID card and he drew it over the scanner's gaze, receiving a positive beep to confirm his identity and another screen telling him that his car was on the way. Around them, they saw that the sections bound by the force field were able to move, pushing forward around the room like a conveyor belt of cars, a hole opening up behind them where more cars popped up with a loud scratch of metal and machinery, even if muffled by the field's soundproofing efforts. After a drawn-out sequence of Ruby loudly 'ooo'ing at every car that passed them, they were finally faced with a car that was truly above everything else. Not just because it's bright purple and white color scheme was brighter than every other paint job in this dimly lit lot, not just because it stretched the length of three cars, but because if it wasn't obvious who owned the limo by this point, there was a giant 'Schnee' branding across the side of it in what they could only assume was solid gold as it was pushed through the field and left in front of them.

"Whoa, now that is a car!" Already, Ruby was hobbling around the car at top limping speed, careful not to let her bad leg ruin her day as she marveled at the way the metal surface shimmered with a fresh and rich polish. She may have been a weapons nut case, but that didn't mean she could appreciate the good maintenance of other forms of machinery.

Jaune seemed to momentarily perk up in awe as well, hesitating for a moment before running his fingers over the doors and leaning it, breathing in the thick aroma of less sickly oil. "It smells like… Money."

The car's owner could only hang her head in shame at the display of her friends, both because they were just plain acting weird and because she couldn't understand what made them so amazed by this lumbering hunk of empty money. "Jaune, stop sniffing the car." To her, it was just an egregious and tacky looking car, it didn't evoke feelings of awe, it evoked feelings of disgust at the obvious amount of money that was wasted on this vanity project. Solid gold engravings of her name? Was she really supposed to be so shallow in this reality?

Jaune and Ruby immediately jumped at attention, awkwardly standing still with nervous smiles under Blake's scolding gaze. Within minutes, Ren had opened the drivers' door while Ruby and Jaune piled into the back area of the limo, leaving a small window between the dynamic dorks and the stoic recluses. "Silver lining of this day, I'm happy to get out of this place. It's so depressing." He had to admit, he wasn't a man who was a sucker for expensive things, but he was exceedingly pleased with the amount of legroom this plush seat offered him.

From the back, he could hear Jaune pause in between holding Ruby away from the window after the fifth round of loud pressing to respond. "You're preaching to the choir."

Ruby was not amused at Jaune's denial of her fun, trying in vain to squirm through his arms with a forever frustrating frown on her face. Jaune, however, seemed to take this as the little piece of amusement he could get from the situation, just barely offering a small hint of a smile when Ruby pulled back, huffing to herself before moving onto something else to distract her. "Hey, Blake, pass me that scroll you had, please?" Without Blake's response, Ruby's hand poked through the open window to cheekily wave. The waving became more insistent as she started to question if Blake could see her hand, an awkward angel leaving Ruby unable to understand that Blake was currently staring at said hand with her face frozen in a twitching scowl. Reluctantly, Blake forced the scroll into Ruby's open palm and shoved it back into the passenger section. "Thanks. Maybe I can find a map online."

The loving purr of a well maintained and beautiful vehicle breathed an air of ease into the car, like the mere act of turning the ignition and starting it up immediately let some of the weight of their troubles was taken by the empty seats around them. Ren didn't tell them that he hadn't really driven much before, most certainly not something to the caliber of a limousine, yet as soon as he took the wheel it was like something instinctual, something from his soul, gripped his hands tightly and led him along. Perhaps he had driven something like this before. Before everything.

He turned the car to wrap around to the sole exit from the lot that wasn't the way they came in, descending down a ramp into a tunnel, one that immediately bathed them in soft blue colors and perfect contrast to the dim and grungy interior of the lot behind them. It was like instantly crossing into a completely different world, one that was bright, less compact and softer on the senses. It felt… Freeing. As his vision grew fond of the blue highlights twisting through the tunnel, he suddenly found his eyes noticing that the other shades of blue weren't from the lights, they were from the water being held back by (presumably) walls of glass surrounding the entire tunnel, various fish swimming past them.

At the corner of his eye, he could just see Ruby with her face pressed up against the glass, stars in her eyes and a blue hue to her skin. Jaune was leaning back, slightly nervous that she was leaning over him with her elbows digging into his leg to look, remarking "Seriously, who puts an aquarium in a parking lot?"

Blake shrugged. "The Atlas Elite?"

"…You're not wrong."

However, as the car pushed through the next opening in the tunnel, the road now opening up into different lanes with a sign above saying they were about to enter the city streets, Ren found his eyes widening at the new sight and calling for the other's attention. "Guys… I don't think we're in Atlas."

"Why- Oh my god…" The group were stopped in their tracks to gawk at the cityscape before them. Where they expected the icy tundras peaking over mantle's walls, they found a transparent dome. Where they expected bunched together brick houses billowing smoke and heat, they found lopsided and twisted structures and skyscrapers freely interlinked through various hanging highways, all shining brightly and leading to more tunnels. Beyond the dome was the seabed of the surrounding ocean, the ceiling of the dome projecting a false image of beautiful weather that the large aquatic creatures around them swam through. This wasn't the frozen wastes of Atlas, this was the underwater city of which they soon learned from the scroll was called Respite.

"It's amazing." Even Jaune was glued to the window now, staring up at the bustling community reduced to flashing lights racing in-between curved buildings. Then he looked towards to dome's edges where he watched a group of fish just barely avoid grazing against it, causing him to gulp back down his amazement. "Also, kinda scary."

Blake gave a firm nod, her expression pulling back into a skeptical one matching her low voice and cautious gaze. "An entire city underwater? This can't be safe."

Of course, Ruby waved them off with a scoff, loudly squeaking as she pumped her arms into the air which, due to their position, only narrowly avoided accidentally giving Jaune a mean right hook to the jaw. "Who cares about safety, it's so cool!"

As the limo drove over a speed bump, Jaune suddenly found himself clutching his stomach with the pressing question of if his travel sickness was a game-only trait or something he took with him from real life. "Just looking at it makes me feel queasy."

Immediately, Ruby threw herself to the other side of the space, landing flat against the opposing door with a wrathful finger pointing at her boyfriend. "Do NOT vomit in the backseat with me!"

Shaking her head with a slight smile at the two's brewing quarrel, Blake turned back to stare outside the window, fighting a sigh as she perched her chin on the side. The humorous moments were privately appreciated, but unfortunately so brief for her until the nagging unease from today claws it's way back into the forefront of her mind. "So, still accepting the Schnee deal?" From her right came Ren's soft voice, neither taking their eyes away to address one another.

"It just…" Her eyelids shut tightly as her mind fought to keep it together, her throat just wanting to grow out her frustration, but her gritted teeth fighting to keep it down. "It just doesn't make any sense."

"What's not to make sense?" It was said so simply, without tact. He said it like he was repeating a simple fact, not confirming a thought that wrapped a cold chain tightly around her heart, steeling her with pangs of bitter pains. "A rich girl tired of the silver spoon looks for the fantasy of the lowly, oppressed underdog rebelling against the man. Miss Schnee becomes Blake Belladonna. You help the little people, you fight against your cruel father and get to live the dream selection of dedicated and beautiful love interests who love you for you instead of your money." She could hear his thumb tap idly against the steering wheel as he turned into a highway, so casual, so callous in the way he treated her pain. He had a point, of course, but he clearly poured all of his grace into combat rather than his words. "The perfect dream for a rich girl who's sick of her life."

She felt that quivering fury in the pit of her stomach that many times before she'd always told herself to restrain, that was best saved for her enemies, fuel for whatever objective she had to fulfill, but now there were no enemies and she had to bite back the urge to lash out at the man. Perhaps he deserved some scorn as with every blunt word without a hint of sympathy made her feel humiliated for her own feelings as if he wasn't taking her situation seriously, as if he were insulting her. However, in the back of her mind, a small voice reminded her that Ren was a good guy and while emotionally distant, was not the malicious type who'd revel in another's pain. She simply resigned herself to a simple statement, prominent aggression to her voice to hopefully get across the hurt she felt at his attitude. "You can be really cold sometimes, you know that?"

He choked back a pained sigh. She could hear it along with the quiet mutter of self-insults under his breath, pausing for a silent moment. It definitely hurt him more than he let on. "I… Sorry. I don't mean to be, it's just how I'm taking this all in, I guess. Just trying to rip off the band-aid as fast as possible and hope I avoid the sting, you know?" Blake finally looked to him, her hurt eye softening at his immediate apologetic display, nodding in understanding at his strategy. She knew the feeling of wanting to just blow past a problem, get the terrible truth over and done with so you can move quickly on how to proceed. It never looked great on anybody.

"You do seem to speak more than you usually do." Her tone was neutral, even she didn't know whether she meant that as a serious statement or a small teasing jab at his usual behavior. He didn't seem offended, so he probably took it as a simple observation.

"I usually have Nora to help me with getting across my emotions." The moment her name was mentioned, Ren's words trailed off into a quiet descent, just finishing with a tired whisper. His face spelled out regret, eyes staring ahead as thoughts of his former friend danced in his eyes with no avenue to convey just how much it affected him. He seemed to freeze up, unable to express what he wanted to express, confusing his body and just shutting it down for the most part.

For a moment, Blake considered comforting him with a hand on his shoulder, even reaching out slightly, yet halfway through the question of if that would just make things worse or if he'd have a bad reaction to sudden touch flared up and made her rescind her hand. "It's not weird to say you miss her." It was a simple sentence, but she believed it carried a powerful gesture. She found that the worst thing about feeling down was that nagging thought that you should be ashamed for feeling sad, alone in being a moron who doesn't just roll with life's punches and lock it away in the back of your mind. That her emotions didn't matter. Ren needed to know that he was neither alone nor had anything to be ashamed about.

"I miss all of them. We all do." The smile on his face was a sad one, but a smile all the same as a silent appreciation of Blake's comment was subtly expressed.

As Blake looked out the front, looking ahead towards the horizon, her mind brought flashes of simpler times, times that made her chuckle. "It's hard to believe that tomorrow I'll be waking up for the first time without Yang accidentally falling on me as she sleepwalks out of her bunk." It was a conflicted feeling as she spoke, a joy as she reminisced about better times, but a bittersweet reminder that it was still gone.

"Or Nora kicking down doors to drag us out of bed for early morning exercise." It surprised Blake to hear a genuine snigger from Ren, a bright smile held up by that sole image, of his old room, of his teammates, of Nora. It was a sense of warmth that stretched through his mind and protected him from the cold.

That's what made it so heart-breaking for Blake to witness that smile immediately disappear, ripped away along with its warmth by the cold hands of reality, leaving only a hollow numbness in their heavy hearts. At such heartless tragedy, she could only ask why. "Why would someone do this to people?" She didn't know how genuinely angry she was until she heard the animalistic growl that accompanied her words, a legitimate offense brought on by the thought of the building they just left.

"Give people good memories? Memories that maybe they'd never get in the first place?" Ren jumped at her sudden aggression in her voice, stumbling over his words, lost in the conversation as he was slightly confused at what Blake took issue with. She sounded like she'd been forced through hell instead of a willing fantasy. "We all signed up for it, didn't we?"

"No, give people lives, lives they cherish, things that evoke a real connection and then… Knowing that at the end of the day, they'll have to rip people away from those lives and tell them it was all fake." She let her anger get the better of her, displayed at full force as her fist slammed down on the limo door, eye narrowing with a hopeless glare at the world ahead. This twisted world that would allow such terrible abuse to take place, that would put them through this, that would take all those things away. "It's cruel. Monstrous."

"Must be a killer marketing ploy, at least." His voice lost all emotions once more, visibly slumping in his seat as the weight of Blake's words set in. It was a terrible thought. One that only became graver the more he thought about it, a bigger weight developing in his stomach. "Hooks you on your dream life just long enough for you to get attached, then rips it away and locks entry behind a new paywall. Leaves you so desperate for another second of that life you loved that you'd pay anything." The two stared ahead in silence, taking it all in before Ren gasped out, choking on his own disgust at the implication. "God, it's like… It's like a drug. Getting people addicted. Getting them dependant on the company. Are we drug addicts?"

"And it already feels like I'm ready for a relapse." It was like a massive hammer striking them in the chest, not just knocking out the air in their lungs, but cracking a few ribs for good measure. Even as they talked of how disgusted they were with his pathetic process, they knew they immediately wanted to return to their lives, return to the false NPCs who bowed down to their dreams. And they hated themselves for it, for that voice in their head telling them that they'd do anything for another chance, another hit, another hour in that machine.

Ren's voice trembled, just trying to keep it all together despite it all. "It's like Ruby says, we're all in this together."

"Right." The mention of Ruby gave the two some confidence back, finding themselves appreciating her constant positivity more and more with every passing second. "I guess there has to be a silver lining somewhere."

Said ball of moral support seemed to intervene upon her name being mentioned, sticking her head through the middle window, triumphant smirk on her face. "Hey, I found our game."

"Huh?"

She held up the scroll, shaking it for Blake to see. "Remnant: Shadow War, I found its website." Pulling back into her seat, Ruby zoomed in on the website page as Jaune looked over her shoulder and Blake peered through the window. "Join up to seven other players in the most ambitious virtual reality experience of this generation. A 1-1 recreation of Remnant rife with detail, adventure, and action." "Create your character from 8 narrative roles and play a pivotal part in fighting the shadow that looms over Remnant. Play with others or play alone with NPCs with the newest 'full-body immersion' technology."

Jaune's finger presses down against the screen to stop Ruby from scrolling, staring down at the picture gallery associated with the description. "Hey, look, that's Goodwitch's class."

"That isn't Goodwitch. Doesn't look like her at all." The woman that stood in the preview picture had the costume down, glaring over the class of generic silhouettes with a stern gaze as her small cape flapped dramatically, yet the woman herself was all wrong. Her hair was now brown, her skin dark and her eyes bright.

Ruby scrolled further through the gallery, finding different videos that cycled through snapshots of different events she remembered of her year at Beacon, from the dust shop robbery to the highway chase, to Amity Arena. However, she barely recognized the characters in the trailer. Torchwick was a girl now? The person taking Cinder's place was bald now? Her face scrunched up in confusion, looking to the others to make sure they were seeing the same thing. "I don't see Yang, Weiss or anyone else from our teams in these trailers. Wouldn't they be pretty big NPCs?" It was rather disheartening to find no pictures of them, Ruby held a small hope that she'd at least be able to see their smiling faces one more time.

After a few more seconds of scrolling, Jaune pointed to a small section about the technology that went into the game. "Huh, look here. It seems that the NPC's appearance and personality are colored by subconscious recollections of people we know, right down to the random civilians."

"Of course." Ruby cried out, exasperated as if it was a puzzle she'd been trying to figure out for hours. She looked to Jaune, not noticing how he'd suddenly gone silent and sullen, exclaiming "That's why people like Ozpin and Goodwitch look like the staff here, we must have mentally put them in the helpful adult's role."

Blake added in "Or unhelpful adults depending on your point of view." Usually, Jaune would jump on that in agreement, to speak up how the ways Ozpin pissed him off made more sense as a bitter reflection of the ill-mannered engineer that greeted them, but he found himself caught up in his thoughts. The idea that they were all people he knew, from the teachers to his teammates, giving rise a silent implication in his head, one he couldn't figure out. Could it mean-

"Then Weiss… Yang?" His thoughts were clouded by Ruby's speculation, prompting him to shuffle away, moving to a corner where he could think more. How could he proceed from here? If the likes of Pyrrha was someone he knew in real life, wouldn't that make it terribly creepy to play out a relationship in a simulation like that? Just something about that implication was ick-

"People we've met, but… Possibly idealized for our personal needs." Ren threw his weight in, once more pushed Jaune's thoughts to the wayside, another voice added to the pile that shortened the room in Jaune's own mind.

"So… Does that mean that… People who died in the game…" His thoughts didn't get a chance to manifest as Blake began her own speculation, all three now here and loud, pushing him deeper into the corner. He just needed a second away from all the talk, maybe they could keep their voices-

"Are living people here?" Ruby finished the thought, scooting closer to Jaune and once more trying to take his hand as if she assumed he somehow wasn't trying to move away. He just wanted to think, why wouldn't they let him think?

"And people who we hated enough to make the villains?" Ruby didn't seem phased or even notice when he pulled his hand away from hers again, her forced positivity beginning to get on his nerves, feeling more like she was trying to shove enough pills down his throat to make him gag.

"Let's focus on getting ourselves home." And now shifting to an entirely different subject? Great, just damn great, that makes it SO much easier to think about what- What was he thinking? God damn it, why won't they just be quiet!?

"What are we gonna do?" He, thinking himself leading by example for this conversation, showed restraint. He was quiet, he was reserved and the only distracting part of his approach was the visible shaking of his body as he tried to contain himself. He needed to think. "Show up at Schnee Manor or whatever with two of us looking like homeless dorks." A flash of anger stirred within him as he noted the odd look he was getting at his exasperated laugh as if it was somehow weird to find this part laughable or silly. He didn't look at them weirdly when they were talking over his mind. "For all we know, we don't even have homes anymore."

Blake gripped the frames of the window, soft eyes showing concern at Jaune's displeasure. "That's why we're going to find out, Jaune."

He told himself he was fine, that he wasn't going to say anything nasty or raise his voice. He just needed some time to himself, without their judgmental gazes sending him conflicting thoughts, without them talking loudly and without Ruby trying to grab his hand. Damn it, couldn't she get the message that it wasn't helping? "I just… I don't think I can handle this with an audience."

"You want to go out into the city alone without your memories?" Ren sounded aghast at the mere idea. To anyone else, this was just the reaction to the obviously flawed plan, but Jaune could only think of it as some sort of attack, like the idea of Jaune being left on his own simply spelled disaster. "I want to have some time to think." He kept his voice low. Low and firm.

"I'm there with him on that," Blake admitted, her eyes glancing downwards like there was shame to be had in wanting time to yourself to think.

Ruby looked between the two, her frown deepening as she stood up to rally them back to her. Yet all Jaune could see was her taking up more space, more time, pressuring him further. Just let him go! "Guys, splitting up is the last thing we should do."

"Is suffocating under all of your voices any better?!" His sliver of an outburst, a hitch in volume and a tone fighting to keep his frustration at bay, it made Ren sigh with a nod, pulling the car over to a curb and slamming on the breaks. If his leader needed time, he'd give it to him, even if ill-advised.

"If you feel that strongly about it, I can drop you off here, near your destinations and we can keep in contact with the Scrolls." Jaune was already pawing at the door, waiting for the go-ahead to open it and dive out of the vehicle.

"That'd be nice, Ren."

"But Jaune-" Ruby didn't get any time to finish her pleas as Jaune took that moment as the opportunity to push through the door, immediately being embraced by the cold air outside as he stumbled out onto the quiet street. It was immediately more refreshing than the stuffy car filled with loud noises and conflicting thoughts, colder too.

"I'll be fine. Some fresh air, a few paces to clear my head, I'll be fine. Fine and dandy." He breathed in the air, taking a deep gasp to blow away the clouds hanging over his every thought, but he just wasn't allowed. Ruby had stumbled out of the car after him, rushing to his side with her biggest smile and soothing tone.

"Jaune, you don't have to be alone on this." Her fingers slipped between his, tugging on them to intertwine and pull him closer. She wanted to connect with him, comfort him and remind him that he'd never be alone. She was here for him. She would help him. As long as they had each other, they could do this, they could survive. "We're gonna get through this. We can figure this all out, together."

This time, Jaune made it a point to rip his hand away from her as obvious as he could, so there was no way she could misinterpret it as a slip-up. He didn't like her trying to hold her hand, what it represented. He couldn't stand it anymore. She needed to understand that, even if it meant letting all his anger bubble to the surface. "Ruby, stop it."

Ruby knew there had been something off, but she was caught off guard by this. She definitely noticed the forceful knock against her gesture, and she didn't miss the emotion leaking into his voice. Surely this must have been something she was missing. Why would he be mad at her? Boyfriends and girlfriends hold hands, nothing to be embarrassed or pissed about, right? "Stop what?" She concluded that he was maybe looking for a bigger dose of physical affection, jumping straight into trying to pull his arm into a hug, his favorite position when they were cuddling to watch TV. Once more, to her shock, this only set him off further as he jumped back, fingers forming frustrated fists as he tried to calmly explain it to her.

"This!" He pointed at her and then back at him, arms still shaking and teeth gritted. He was holding it all back, but the more this conversation pushed, the more he wanted to unload, just get it off his back, make her see the obvious. "There is no 'we'. Not anymore… Possibly not even before..."

It only fully dawned upon her then what he was getting at, that the situation was more serious than she thought. "W-What?"

He couldn't stop it from all coming out at that moment, everything that had been brewing since he was pulled out of that pod. His tone wasn't kind, it wasn't understanding, it was straight up furious, pouring out the regret, the hatred, the despair that welled up in the bottom of his stomach. "Don't you get it? I don't even know who you are anymore. Our relationship was essentially an online roleplaying session we took too seriously." He said those words. He didn't know if he believed them fully, just that they felt like what he needed to say, what he needed to rid himself of. He knew it hurt to say them, but he stills aid them to Ruby and he could feel a slap across the face just from watching her upper lip tremble.

"Jaune, you… You don't mean this. It's just the stress talking." She could have been pleading with him or trying to convince herself, trying one more time to move closer to him, hoping that if just for one second he could feel her embrace again he'd be reminded of the incomparable warmth she felt whenever she was close to him. That he'd suddenly remember how their embraces were so sweet he'd try to trick her into dragging them out for hours on end. That he'd realize all he needed to do was take back these horrible things he was saying and she'd understand because she loved him.

"No, it's reality talking!" His anger came to the surface and suddenly he was very imposing. He yelled at her. He glared at her. Ruby had witnessed Jaune's anger many times, at Ozpin and at Cinder, but the very idea of him looking at her with those hateful eyes, that she did something or hurt him in such a way that he'd look upon her with so much fire in his eyes. It crushed her. She was reminded of the look he gave Oscar two seconds before he slammed the poor boy into a wall, ready to crush him. Jaune must've noticed how Ruby shrank under his gaze, wobbling back like she was afraid he'd- He stopped, took a deep breath and spoke low, finding himself trembling and his heart pounding. He would never hurt Ruby, ever. "We can't… We can't do this anymore. Not now."

"But, but… I thought we were... You said you were in love with me!" She didn't hide the bile she spat at him with those words, her voice shrill and her eyes wide as if she were gasping for air. Her entire body shook and he could see the tears developing in her eyes as poked a finger into his chest, quickly jumping on any thought she could find, anything to make sense of these ridiculous things Jaune was telling her. "What about the dates, the chocolates and all those hours we spent texting each other just so we didn't wake everyone else up at night?" Her breath hitched, her wide eyes gazed at him, silently pleading for him to tell her he was wrong, that this wasn't the end of the line, that they still had a chance. She'd already lost Yang and Weiss, he couldn't leave her now. It just wasn't true. "It can't mean nothing. I love you, Jaune!"

Against his better judgment, he moved closer to her to grasp her shoulders. He immediately regretted it as it only meant he could feel the warm softness of her touch once again, voices tugging at his mind telling him he was being an idiot, that he was making a mistake and daring him to look her in the eye and tell her that his heart didn't break seeing her so downtrodden and that he didn't want to scoop her up in his arms. "Yes, you love Jaune. Jaune Arc and Ruby Rose, maybe they had something. But you know something else about them? They don't exist, they're fiction. They're just characters we made. Audrey and Larry? Did they even know each other's names?"

"Jaune, you KNOW this wrong." She didn't dare blink, keeping eye contact with him as the boy fought back his own tears developing in the fact of his actions, which she saw as hope for him realizing the mistake he's making. "You can say it's not there, that it's all made up, but, but…" Desperately, she pulled his hand over her chest, pressing it tightly against her where he could feel her heartbreaking in two. "Feel that? That's my heart. And I know you feel that too in yours!" Every time she hugged him, she could hear his heart in her ear, a soft and relaxing rhythm that made her feel at home. She knew it well and she knew it couldn't mean nothing. She tried to look up at him again, pleading for him to reconsider, but by now he had conceded to avoid her eyes, looking elsewhere as she beat on his chest. "It… It can't be fake. Please, Jaune, don't do this to me… I love you."

"I'm sorry, but we can't just pretend that it's all okay and nothing's changed. I could have a girlfriend already, one of us could be married, maybe you're not my type, maybe we actually hated each other in real life… How can you honestly expect us to love each other when we don't even know who we are?" Suddenly, Ruby thought back to the speculation that people in the game could be alive here ad suddenly, despite how shameful it was to admit, her mind spitefully wondered if this was because of the possibility of Pyrrha being back. Pyrrha, the girl who constantly had Ruby questioning if she was merely a lesser replacement for Jaune's true affections. It was a terrible thought. She hated herself for even bringing such jealousy into this, but her heart was desperate for anything to keep it together, but all it was finding were more painful truths and insecurities. Her head dropped to stare at the ground, refusing to let Jaune see her tears rush down her cheeks. He took this and her silence as a sign the conversation was over, stepping away from her while also attempting to keep his eyes concealed. He had to do this, that's what he told himself, continuing the relationship would just hurt them both. He had to do this. Had to. Because… Because if he didn't, then he just tore Ruby apart and made her cry for no good reason. And he wouldn't be able to live with himself if that was the truth. "I'll see you soon."

Ruby just stood there, her brain slow in processing what just happened. She didn't even notice Blake and Ren getting out of the limo, Blake's arms wrapping around her shoulders in a tight embrace, quietly repeating that it'll be alright. "He just needs time, Ruby, I'm sure of it."

The little rose had never been the dating type, Jaune had been her first and for a while, she believed that he was the one, the one she'd give her heart to, the one that proved love at delayed sight was just as good as love at first sight. This was love. It felt like love, they told each other it was love and everything sounded like love. But now, in this moment, that love turned against her. It strangled her heart in a manner she'd never been hurt before, leaving her lightly sobbing into Blake's shoulder. It hurt, it hurt so much, it was like a bout of anger at him for hurting her and self-loathing for not being able to convince him to stay clashed within her, banging against her flesh. Did she do something wrong? Could she make it right? Something, she needed something to show her a light at the end of the tunnel. "My heart can't be fake… Can it?"

Why did it hurt? Why was love so cold to her?


	4. A Cold Reminder

They'd been driving for around thirty minutes by this point, complicated scenery of technological marvel simply fading into blue neon smudges before the three. Ren's eyes only registering the vibrant directional signs and other cars, Blake catching brief glimpses of towering billboards trying to quickly sell her Government Intern positions for 'cash prizes' and Ruby had her face pressed up against the window as everything became blue noise, as if she were a kid against sitting too close to the TV.

Nestled in the back seat of a limo, there was a lot of space between Ruby and the drivers of the vehicle. Blake had taken the phrase 'give a girl some space' very literally when it came to comforting the girl on a heartbreak she'd still yet to fully process. "I'm fine." Thirty minutes, it had been, since Ruby had sat in this spot and not moved since, battling back and forth on the first stage of grief; denial. And she would not let Ren and Blake hear the end of it.

"Of course, Ruby." Blake forced a smile at the space in front of her, not that Ruby could see her expression, but it did give her the confidence to make sure Ruby's repeated statement was acknowledged. "Are you sure we're going the right way?" She focuses her eyes on Ren's tired expression, dark eyes only growing more empty with every prompt from the scroll's map telling him that it was 'recalculating'.

The usually calm exterior was reduced to an obligated grunt, the distaste clear as the limo wrapped around a corner onto an ascending road. It wasn't any comfort, but the higher they went was probably a good direction for their destination. "Honestly? Not entirely sure, everything's starting to look the same to me, but the map says we're on the right track." Once more, their map seemed to freeze up and announce that it required a second to input new directions, prompting Ren to take one hand off the steering wheel to tap at the screen in restrained frustration.

Thinking that they didn't hear her the first few times, Ruby cleared her throat before loudly announcing "I just want to say that I'm fine and that's the end of it.". As she spoke, she leaned forward in her seat, pulling away from her depression session of silent self-pity with her reflection, pushing herself up on the edge of the seat to broadcast her obvious woes.

"We hear you loud and clear." Ren raised one hand to wave back at Ruby, not even turning to spare a glance at her. Ruby, of course, didn't think of the fact that the driver taking his eyes off the road would be insanely irresponsible, instead of pouting behind his back and taking it as a lack of care when he went straight back to discussing the mundane details of navigation. "Do you know what you'll say when we get there?"

A brief moment to take a deep breath, cutting it short to breathe out a simple answer. The cloud over her heart and mind didn't allow her to swerve from that focus. "I'll assume they won't need introductions." However sure she sounded of that, the questions and doubts still gripped her tightly throughout the ride. Would they ask too many questions? Would they be suspicious of her behaviour? Would she even be welcomed at all?

"You don't have to keep pestering me about it, I'm fine."

The sidelong glance Ren shot her shared the doubts, a definite glimpse of worry and empathy in the man at her situation. His features pulled together tightly as he struggled to stay within his calm thought process while also focusing on the road. Blake picked up the conversation once more, pulling her legs up against the door frame. "Do you think they'll be okay with the memory loss?"

"I imagine they'll want to know where the daughter of their boss has been for the past few months." This time, Blake was allowed to fully exhale her lungs in an ambiguous sigh. She had to admit, despite her emotional state and clouded thoughts, she did find the simple act of bouncing back and forth with Ren on questions neither knew the answer to relaxing. It didn't distract from her thoughts, nor did it push away her bubbling doubts, but it made her feel lighter. "Even if we assume your pre-game self gave them some details on where you were going, I doubt you told them the full story."

"That big teary-eyed goodbye there? That was nothing."

Blake bit down lightly on her lower lip, whether just for the sake of it or to hold back a bitter grunt, letting her doubts bubble to the surface. "And, of course, there's always the chance that I was running from the company in the first place and we're going to arrive to some very angry employees." She found her gaze now dead set ahead, feeling the limo come to a stop before a red light, watching the simple display of a couple of teens dancing across the traffic stop.

Well, dancing was implying too much activity, what they were really doing is stalling. They could clearly see the red light was on and the alarms were blaring for them to cross, but they preferred to tiptoe on the edge of the pavement, making a game out of stalling the red light until the last moment. Little bastards were so carefree, almost like they were mocking Blake with their light-hearted games, rubbing it in her face that they didn't have any of the complex doubts and feelings she currently had dragging her down.

"I mean, I already needed space, but I didn't want Jaune to think I didn't care."

"I didn't want to seem like I was fishing for the worst outcomes, but yes, that is possible." Ren brought her back to the vehicle, sparing a glance at him as he only seemed to grow more tired with each passing word. Before she could respond, the light turned green and the limo soldiered on, the teens she had so easily despised in just a few small moments had seemingly disappeared. "Does the Merlot Company tell us beforehand that we might lose our memories? Because you'd think one of us would have had to forethought to write down a note to ourselves just in case." There was a hint of anger in his voice, but with Ren, it was hard to tell outside of maybe his thumb beating a few tempos quicker against the steering wheel.

"So, to lay it all to rest and, please stop asking, say that I am completely and utterly fine that I was just dumped by my maybe-boyfriend!" The two stoics paused to hear the short breaths that followed Ruby's last outburst, taking the huffing from her repeated insistence as a sign that she was finally done awkwardly trying to comfort herself.

Black shifted in her seat, breaking away from Ren's gaze to poke her head into the back. She saw Ruby had her legs pulled up to her chest, forgoing the use of a seatbelt as she curled up with her chirpy demeanour thoroughly deflated. "This is your first break up, then?"

"Yes." She didn't look up from her knees, muffling her speech. Embarrassing as it was to admit, this was Ruby's first attempt at a relationship of the romantic variety. Sure, she'd had her fantasies, she'd had her crushes, she'd had her sloppily written 'Do you like me? Yes or no' notes that she'd never gotten back. Of course, this Audrey character that was supposedly her might have had other boyfriends in her life… But for some reason, Ruby immediately doubted that which made her stomach turn even more.

"Do you need to talk about it?" Blake tried to be as sympathetic as she could be, despite knowing that she wasn't the best person for the job. Ruby's pain was like an echo, bouncing around the room and reaching everyone's ears. When a bundle of cinnamon-like Ruby was hurt, everybody felt it and you immediately wanted to rush to comfort her. That was just the sort of effect Ruby had. Well, Ruby Rose had, Blake still didn't know if it was right to think like this when she wasn't even sure if the person in front of her was Ruby Rose anymore.

"Yes, but Yang isn't here right now…"

The response cut through Blake like a knife plunged into her chest. Yeah, she knew she was the closed-off one who had two relationship experiences hypothetically and one leaving her a little inexperienced in healthy response and advice in such fields. It didn't make hearing Ruby so easily dismiss her ability to help any less of a gut punch. And worse, it made her think of Yang, it made her mind wonder what Yang would say if she were here, it made her angry that Yang wasn't here, angry at no one but herself that she no longer had a partner to confide in. Still, she swallowed the lump in her throat and offered a sheepish smile. "Well, you know, we're still here and WE could-"

Ren stopped her right there. He spoke bluntly and raised his hand to stop her. "I'm focusing on the road and know nothing about this stuff, don't drag me into this. I'll just make it worse."

Blake pushed her sigh to be louder and obviously directed at Ren, huffing at the frustration of being alone to deal with this and making sure he knew it. "I'M HERE at least." Initially, she tried to reach out and pat Ruby's shoulder, but she quickly realized how much distance there was between them and how ridiculous she currently looked with her arm outstretched into nothing.

"I appreciate the thought, Blake, but you have better things to focus on. I'll get over it." She'd never heard her leader so despondent. Blake knew Ruby probably carried a lot of problems on her shoulder, but she was never the type to let it show on her. After all the things the ex-silver-eyed warrior took in stride, it was a break up that would finally get her to crack a little? Then again, as much as Blake scoffed mentally, Jaune always did seem to be the one who helped Ruby process that burden better. Maybe Ruby lost more than Blake thought when she saw that alien anger flash in his eye. "I miss Yang…"

Everyone seemed to grow smaller at that tiny statement. All they wanted to do was sink into their chairs and rest with that thought, but they had to move on. Ren offered token encouragement. "We all do. She was one of a kind."

It was three straight minutes of sorrowful silence before Ruby spoke again, taking time to breathe before she regained her smile. Tai always told her that you can't just dwell on everything, at least not while there's work to be done, otherwise you never move. "Where are we heading, anyway? Schnee Manner?"

She could see Ren's unenthusiastic nod, noticing along with Blake how ready he looked to collapse. At least the limo's seating was ridiculously comfortable, though there was a small worry at the prospect of letting the exhausted man take the wheel. "Schnee Manner is still in Atlas to our limited knowledge, so we're heading to one of the many operations the SDC has set up here." It was left out just how difficult it had been to search through the database of the wifi offered by the scroll, with the information already known drowned in distractions and contradictions from what they already knew. Ruby could only imagine looking through it all.

"Does the SDC work the same as in… You know." It was at this point that Ruby realized she never really knew that much about the SDC as a corporation, just that it supplied dust and that Weiss's father was the biggest bastard in the world who needed to rot in jail. The mundane structure and operation of the corporate ladder never really came up in studying to kill monsters.

"It should. The game is allegedly an accurate representation of Remnant outside of the Salem plot and the NPC's we projected onto." The research had been a harrowing and migraine-inducing experience for Blake to say the least. It was like waking up in your room and finding the door was a different colour, basically the same but a noticeable shift in what was familiar that instantly made her feel like an intruder in what should be her reality. The world progressed almost the same as she knew, but everything that marked her presence, the scraps of Blake Belladonna she still held in her heart were nowhere to be found. No resurgence of the white fang, none of the violent extremism of Adam, no Ilia; and while Ghira and Kali Belladonna did exist they never sired any offspring. It was one of those moments where you know the answer, you know that the harsh truth was a given, but you still can't help but hold out hope you'd find something that goes against it. Blake Belladonna was not of this world. She was fake. "Did some small research and it still seems Jacques is the CEO and married into the family through one Willow Schnee."

Ruby slumped into her chair, groaning like someone who just found their pet had made a mess while she was gone. "Oh, great. Of all the people to be the genuine article."

It almost felt shameful for the woman in the front. Like somehow this revelation that she was connected to that man, that man she clearly had no good things to think of in this world and had only seen as the face of corrupt filth in the other, she had a piece of him attached to her. She had his filth in her DNA and there was nothing to cure her of such a disease. "And now he's my terrible father as well."

"Well, let's hope he's not terrible enough to turn us away." They could tell Ren was really reaching for a silver lining in this cloud, the car curving around a structure, a large mass of floating metal that took up the room of ten houses in width, bringing them in front of interconnecting walls that stretched into the distance and towered over them. Over those walls, they could the foreboding brand of the SDC floating over the area, outlined by a bright white hue. The light wasn't like a beacon that shined through the dark, but a blinding sheen that demanded your attention. "Here we are."

Ruby rolled down the window, poking her head out to get a better look at the skyscraper that took root behind the massive wall. Like the rest of the city's architecture, it seemed that every straight line or corner was converted into some sort of curve that wrapped around the building, curving to position every ledge to make it clear they were hanging off the main block, off the SDC. "Looks about what I expected."

"I'll do the talking. Ruby?" Blake was back to facing Ruby, her features drawn into a false pleasant smile and awkward air of understanding condescension. It reminded Ruby of when she was a child and her dad really wanted her to do something but knew that being forceful would just make her rebellious.

"Yes, Blake?"

"Can you…" Ruby's expression was unblinking and made it hard for Blake to continue, giving the woman a need to stop and rectify her tone in her head once more. "Can you be quiet for this one? You've never been that good with the upper class." Again, her smile was sheepish, trying without hope to soften the blow and not imply any doubt about her fearless leader.

Thankfully, the pouting anger Ruby displayed was far more exaggerated and joking than any actual offence, the girl crossing her arms and lifting her legs onto the seats in a childish manner. "Fine! But know that I'm very offended on the inside." There was something to be admired in how Ruby managed to stay perfectly balanced in her position without a seat belt bounding her to the chair, even when limo went over multiple speed bumps on the approach to the front gate, still Ruby's body did not move. It did, however, jump into a face-first fall against the floor when she was 'ambushed' by a bright blue light blasting through the windows.

As they arrived at the gate, they'd received no warning, no guard, nor any greeting. A panel sprung from the exposed wall, aiming the bright end of what seemed like a cylindrical scanner at the limo, unleashing the light that surprised Ruby so. When it passed over Blake, she bit back a brief flash of panic as it came to a sudden halt. For seconds she was trapped under its gaze, seconds turning into a minute, a minute turning into multiple until finally, the gate let out what she could only see as a pleasant chirp before the walls parted to let them through. The scenery before them unravelled into a straightforward road leading into a gaggle of parked cars, each perfectly sitting equal distance from each other and inside their parking spaces. It was very neat, orderly and made Blake feel a little uneasy as they made a comparably messy park.

They hadn't even had a second to take it all in before the crusty, yet soft voice travelled through the open window. On Blake's side, she was faced with a portly man grinning down at her through warm green eyes, his auburn hair fighting a losing battle to cling to his balding head. Something about the way his pointed moustache jiggled as he talked made her feel instinctually giggly inside. "Miss Schnee, it is a delight to see you return!" Digging through her own memories provided nothing to tell her about this man, though he clearly knew her and there was a sense of familiarity. However, that's when it hit her. If Weiss, or the Schnee's in general in the game, were based on her experiences or hidden anger at her situation as a Schnee, perhaps thinking back to the fictional Heiress's own story could shed some light.

Wracking her brain, Blake recalled a name accompanied by a funny story, of a butler Weiss thought of quite fondly as she grew up. One that was kind and warm where her father was resentful and cold. And this man did look the part of a Butler. "Uh… Klein?"

The small smile that upheld his moustache struck Blake with a smile of her own, calming her nerves with how happy he seemed that she remembered his name. Immediately, he dipped his head in a polite and cordial bow, his hand reaching up to the door handle to create an opening for her. "My apologies, Mam, I finally decided to take you up on your advice and get that haircut. I must look unrecognisable!"

It seemed she had waited on her answer a second too long, but thankfully Klein provided a quick and easy excuse. Though Blake did feel a pang of guilt at the fact that it was expected she wouldn't recognise him right away, especially when the man crouched down to drop a small carpet at her feet and unroll it. Apparently, Wither Schnee didn't like stepping out of a car and onto the pavement. "O-Of course, that's what it is." The overwhelming respect, the look of devotion and the simple steps to make actions more convenient for her, it was odd. Blake had never exactly been pampered before, well, not in her current state where she lacked the memories. Wither Schnee might be extraordinarily experienced with pampering and took a liking to this Butler.

"The staff were absolutely thrilled to hear of your limo being spotted in the driveway. Your father doesn't show it, but he and the SDC have been sorely missing that ambitious cunning of yours these past few months." Blake stood tall in her new platform heels, immediately pushing herself into that coldly dignified pose she'd often seen Winter sport, taking the inspiration as a good prediction of how someone like Wither Schnee would present herself. From the other side of the car, she saw Ren getting out with little fanfare, playing it casual with just the stiff posture of someone who just wanted to observe. However, Klein's eyes seemed to immediately home in on him. "Ah, and Operator Kuriyuri, I trust you kept the young miss out of trouble?"

Ren was taken aback by the instant attention but quickly recovered his empty expression as he regarded the Butler. The recognition sparked more questions in his mind, but at least put others at ease. He knew he was working with the S.D.C in some capacity before. Now, he knew that he was Miss Schnee's personal employee of sorts. Though, he supposed it was too much of a coincidence for a Schnee and an S.D.C worker to happen to be in the same group for the game. However, that didn't explain him being armed with permission to kill. So, I must be some sort of bodyguard or agent for the SDC. Did I go with Blake because of my job? Is my reasoning so simple? In a way, it hurt. He thought that the knowledge he might not have had any big emotional hang-ups that he needed to escape would bring comfort, yet now he found the idea that throwing away months of his life was just a job more depressing. Did he have no life to go back to? "That's not for me to discuss… Sir."

Klein seemed to take no issue with Ren's tone or reply, so Ren was at least working in character as far as he knew so far. To save trouble, they could just explain to Klein the situation with Merlot Corp and the lost memories, but there was always an element of unease around revealing this problem. How would people react to such a thing? Would they take advantage of it? Would it cause more troubles? For now, it was best for the group to keep it quiet and try to keep things normal. "Let's take this inside, I will handle your bags."

Before Klein could reach the back door where Ruby was pouting to her heart's desires, Blake found herself sliding in front of him, blurting out words before she could think. "Are you sure you're Klein?"

Klein and Ren shared an equally befuddled look, though for different reasons as Klein softly asked "Mam?"

Ren rounded on her, pushing past Klein and keeping his back to the man so that he couldn't see Ren hiss "Blake, what are you doing?"

"It's been so long and I just want to be sure before I trust my luggage to you." Blake kept her eyes dead ahead, not letting on that Ren was speaking to her. In her mind, it was simple, if a little rushed thought process. If they weren't going to out themselves as amnesiacs, then they had to find another excuse to probe for information on their past life. "As you said, you look different than I remember, maybe the haircut is just an excuse. Answer some simple questions, just to make me feel safe." Granted, it wasn't the most believable excuse, but considering she rushed it out in a matter of seconds, she thought it was decent.

Whether out of duty or genuine agreement, the Butler's features faded back into an accepting smile. "Of course, Miss Schnee. I will do my best to answer your questions as clearly and succinctly as possible." He dipped his chin in another bow, Blake noting his efforts to make sure he stays smaller than her and stop his moustache from tickling his nose. Hadn't Weiss mentioned something about his sneezing problem?

"What do you know about my… Absence?"

Klein suddenly found an intense interest in stroking his chin, undoubtedly thinking over his answer very carefully. Blake took from this that Wither was a woman who was either very risky to talk about or had no patience for wasted words. Either one added onto the already unpleasant picture Blake had of herself. "Well, even someone as hardworking and dedicated as you needs their breaks. You went on vacation for a few months. It was just after that Robyn Hill incident; your father had never been prouder than when you sussed out that vigilante's criminal attempts to sabotage his chances in the Atlas elections."

She didn't know what took her back more, the fact that she'd apparently helped put away Robyn, someone who she had blindly trusted in the other world, or the idea that Jacques had the ability to be proud of someone. Not that it brought any comfort. If this world's Jacques was anything like the one she'd been acquainted with, his pride in her only made her feel more disgusted. "What do you know about me?"

Klein's pride, on the other hand, at being able to answer the question was almost overwhelming. For a second, Blake let go of the cold heiress she was playing up and appeared flustered. "You're the pride and joy of the SDC. No one thought a fresh-faced little girl straight out of Atlas Academy would have the ambition and gusto to handle her own corporate branch of the company, but your father held firm and watched their jaws drop after you pulled the SDC out of the fire after the Beacon incident."

Quickly, she pulled herself back together, nodding over to Ren. There was a small hope that Klein would be just as complementary to Ren as he was to her. God knows they could all use some compliments about their grim odds. "And him? What do you know about him?" There was a sneeze, quiet and contained, but when he opened his now mint green eyes. Klein didn't hold the same joyful recognition of Ren. His shoulders sagged slightly, his eyes shifted away and he broke from his demeanour into a more nervous tone quickly.

"A-are you quite alright, Miss?"

"Answer the question."

The gulp before he spoke could be heard loud and clear. "I try not to pry into the SDC's more elusive personnel, I swear. All I know is that when they need a friendly and charismatic face to seal a deal, your faithful operator, from the powers that be themselves, is sent in to offer persuasion and keep you safe. That's all."

There was more to the story, she could tell even through the carefully crafted honey words approved by a PR group. Ren's gaze broke away from the conversation. Both out of concern for Ren and the instant guilt of putting Klein on the spot like that, Blake broke off that line of questioning. "It's alright, Klein. You did well, I was just checking." She hoped her smile would bring him some comfort after he'd been so pleasant to them. Even if it was his job to put up with this, she appreciated his efforts. "To be honest, my head has…" She was cut short by another sneeze. "Escaped me a little in my absence."

"I see, miss. Perfectly understandable." Thankfully, he shifted back into his previous demeanour. Eyes a soft blue and tone tinged with understanding. "I'm sure when anyone spends so long away from work, they need some time to get back into their rhythm. Shall I call your father and tell him you've returned early? I'm sure he'll be thrilled!"

She shouldn't. Ideally, Blake should hold off speaking to that man as long as possible. There was no telling the dangers of showing weakness or ignorance in front of this version of Atlas's most hated businessman and politician. And how would Blake react to being so close to the man? Would she be able to focus? Able to keep it straight? No, she might just let all the pressure of the past day fuel her to make some very bad decisions and choice words. "Y-Yes, please. Go ahead." She'd say that curiosity killed the cat, but Blake wasn't a cat Faunus anymore.

"Let's get you two settled in first, of course." Klein was more enthusiastic than any man had the right to be about grabbing people's luggage, striding over to the back door and ripping it open with gusto. He stopped when his eyes met the bland brown eyes of a girl now attempting to stuff herself into the limo's trunks end… And failing. "Oh. You have a passenger."

Ruby gave a sheepish wave as Blake groaned at the sight. "Is that a problem?"

"I'm afraid to inform you, Miss Schnee, but after some recent developments," Klein gave Ruby a reassuring wave back, turning to address Blake with an air of unspoken words he couldn't say in front of Ruby. "your friend will not be allowed inside the premises. Company personnel only."

"Even if they're with me?" Blake crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, trying to project the coldness and ego she imagined someone like Wither to have into one concentrated glare. Schnee's got what they want, right? "This is ridiculous."

Klein winced. Why did he make it so hard to pretend to be mad? "Your father's orders."

As Blake tried to think of a response, Ren cut in with the quickest rebuke he could offer. "We can't just leave her here."

"It's alright, Bla-" Their eyes were all drawn to Ruby's sudden interference, her eyebrows furrowing as she stopped to think of how she should address Blake in public. She couldn't just continue calling her Blake, that would just be weird to everyone else. And calling the high society heiress by her first name when Ruby was clearly of the lower class wasn't exactly going to stop wandering eyes. "Miss. I can just make my way back to Jaune while you work this out."

Gripping the open door tightly as Ruby pushed her way out (needing Klein's help when she almost tripped on the smaller frame), Blake could feel her eyes widen with worry. Sending Ruby back to face Jaune alone when they're both just had an emotional outburst? If that didn't spell disaster, nothing did. "Ruby, you can't, you were just-"

"It's fine." The sheepish tone made Blake soften her eyes, impressed by Ruby's ability to keep it all together and make things sound so simple, so easy. "I may be a bit upset, but I'm not a child… I just hope Jaune is understanding."

"Fine." Blake and Ren surrounded Ruby, their concern almost overwhelming the poor girl when Blake reached out to grasp Ruby's shoulders tightly. She didn't care if it looked weird to Klein. "If we don't hear a phone call from you in one hour, I'm going to hunt you down."

"Loud and clear, Captain Schnee!" Ruby's hand slapped her forehead in a mocking salute before she marched out with the exploding enthusiasm that she was known for.

Ren and Blake turned to Klein, who in turn was still staring at Ruby departing from them and slip out the gate. He was dreadfully amused by her antics. "She seems delightful."

The new duo couldn't help but smile at this, Blake nodding and sparing one last thankful glance at Ruby. Even if Ruby Rose was fake, that girl's charm and ability to keep up smiles was something Blake would forever be thankful for. "She really is. Especially when you need her."

She felt Ren's hand on her shoulder, though instantly pulling it back when Klein's eyes seemed to widen in suspicion. "We can do this, Blake."

Blake repeated it to herself for good measure. "We can do this."

* * *

Jaune had lost many things today. Walking down a sparse street with little traffic, eyes focused on the cracks in the pavement and ears tuned to nothing but the dense bustle of unfocused feet; and yet he still managed to run into the shoulders of several people. He'd lost awareness, but that wasn't what was bothering him, it wasn't a loss that you could just feel the absence of. Dignity? He never had much of that in the first place, and he was confident his past-life didn't either. Though maybe some would argue that the balls you needed to break up with a girl as amazing as her- As amazing as anyone could be, because he didn't know her. He just knew… Her.

He'd definitely lost focus there. He fought hard to keep his thoughts straight. Yes, he wouldn't deny that it struck him in the heart to say those words, to wipe that winning smile off her face. It hurt like hell, but it had to be done. As he reminded himself for the fifth time. It wasn't a real relationship, it wasn't anything tangible or something they could build off of. The ghostly kiss he could feel on his cheek from when she would flick ice cream at him just for an excuse to touch him that didn't involve directly telling him, it was nothing. That smile he held at the memory of her jumping up to peck his cheek due to the height gap, the way that made his eyes cringe under the intensity of how cute it was to him, quickly wiped away because he would NOT allow himself to wallow in something that never could be anymore.

The warmth she brought him was gone. He shivered under the oppressive wind of the city air, no thought cast to where the wind came from in an underwater city, as he pulled his patchwork trench coat tighter over his shoulders. Oh, and there he could hear something rip as he pulled too tightly. If that wasn't a metaphor for my life right now… He paused on the thought, netting him another body threatening to knock him over as they passed. Hoping to make himself less of a hazard magnet for the passer-by, he darted over to press himself against the first wall he could find, scraping past a shattered store window with boards loosely hanging off it.

Inviting. Jaune didn't voice his displeasure out loud, now taking in more of the street, its features radiating a subtle icy stare with every look. Long gone was the blue he remembered bearing down on his sight throughout the car ride, now only finding grey slabs and dark corners for miles ahead. Some buildings leaned forward, looming over him with flickering windows and torn stone flesh, while others seemed to shrivel up tightly with their brickwork practically popping out of their joints. But it was hard to differentiate them from each other because… because…

Jaune had lost the colour in his life. His eyes swept over the monochrome landscape, only seeing the world in flavours of darkness and blandness. There was no red to catch his eye against the stark dreariness of the day, no bubbling sunshine to wash away the cold thoughts scratching at his mind and no silver to captivate his heart with no restraint. He'd pushed it away, he's stained that silver with tears, damped the red with his bitterness and stolen the smile that even in this world should never be tampered with. "Great going, Arc. You probably made her cry…" He could justify the breakup. He couldn't justify being such an ass about it, even to himself.

Before he could press on, he found his eyes falling upon a billboard hanging off a distant skyscraper, greeted by empty smiles and mocking stares. He saw Merlot Corp's initials underscoring happy models, happy memories and promising adventure and contentment in a world just like his own. Or if he preferred different worlds, they had varied settings and campaigns as well. Pick whatever fantasy you want and, for a reasonable price, you could be hooked up to that reality for years to come, never worrying about the harshness of reality.

It pissed him off. Jaune could think of many things that angered him, scared him, hurt him, but this unique method struck a special chord within him. These memories he had, where he could remember those special moments with family, the start of a new life with JNPR, the time he spent mourning his fallen comrade, the connections he formed with the ones he loves, all of it he could see before him. The ups and the downs. Usually, he could take those moments in stride, treasure the happy ones and keep the harsher ones close to heart to remind him why he must keep fighting. And that's how these Merlot Corp bastards hurt him deeper than he imagined a real version of Salem ever could. They took his life, his identity, his memories and tainted them. No longer could these memories serve as anything other than bitter desires of a pathetic man who deemed his own life lesser, who by the very act of reaching for these memories admits that his own life would always be inferior and unable to live up to them.

"You bastards." He ripped his eyes away from the advertisement, marching onwards with no regard for anyone else as he bit back the sudden tears brewing. "Why did you have to take it all away?" A few glares were sent his way, no one hearing his pleas to nothing, nor anyone caring as the man stumbled through the streets. Jaune wouldn't say he felt drunk when everything only seemed to register as a blue, alleyways and clutter amongst the pavement reduced to splatter on a dry canvas, but that was only because he'd never been drunk before. So, when he looked up and found a glowing lotus flower, one that stood out against the dullness of everything else with its size and actual colour, he convinced himself that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

Sure enough, after rubbing his eyes and focusing for a few moments, he found that he had indeed arrived at the Open Lotus by complete accident. He'd forgotten he even had a map. Caught up in the haze of his own self-pity, he wagered he had more of a chance of accidentally stumbling into traffic than here. Maybe he was just a surprisingly good navigator when he's sad. Then again, looking up at the building, maybe this joint was just a magnet for people down on their luck.

It was an understatement to describe the Open lotus as sad looking or shady. The lights were all off, leaving the windows empty with their mouldy paint job on full display, below them the brickwork looked to be poking out of every side, ready to pop. It was something an estate agent would challenge themselves to describe as a fixer-upper. At least it stood out in contrast to its surroundings. Not just because its neon sign was flickering on and off and looked to barely be hanging by a thread, but in how the building almost looked to be sinking. Its foundations dipped below the metalworks on one side, slanting the building slightly, giving the impression of being two seconds away from collapse. Its shape was odd too. Where you'd usually have a large foundation supporting equal or smaller upper floors, this building started out with a small first story that was about as big as a check-in station, somehow holding up two more floors that were far larger in scale. It was upside down and had one tiny building carry and entire apartment complex.

"Well, this place seems welcoming. I wonder if the drug dealers are on the first or second floor." Jaune didn't see much point in being sarcastic when no one was around to hear it, but in a small way, it gave him comfort before he strode up to the front door (a broken automatic door he had to tear open with his bare hands) and face the inside.

The interior was surprisingly clean for the most part. Didn't help that someone had decided the wall colour should be that of scraped away piss yellow, the walls themselves barely straight with a small bump every few inches. It was a thin hallway that funnelled Jaune to the hazy glass that stood over the receptionist desk, a small mailbox just below which Jaune assumed was for transferring physical objects between this room and the other. It was worrying that apparently this person needed a protective glass wall between them and the residents.

Gazing closer through the glass, he could just make out a larger man stomping into view. He was about what Jaune expected, shaved head, a few scars over the eyes, tattoos strangling his neck, greasy shirt (which Jaune assumed at one point was white) that exposed a portly belly. "Ey, have I seen you 'round here before?" That was the voice of someone who didn't just smoke eight packs a day but swallowed those lit packs without breathing out the smoke.

Jaune was both happy and terrified at the prospect of this individual recognising him. He shouldn't let it show, he should be confident and stare this bulldog of a man down so he could get this over with. Of course, when the man's gaze narrowed at Jaune's lack of a response, all Jaune could think about it that this looked like the type of man who had blood under his fingernails. Immediately, Larry stumbled over himself to fumble out an answer. "Uh, you might have done… I used to live here a few months back. I'm Jaune- Larry, I have this" Sweaty palms dropped the wallet when Jaune tried to rip it out of his pocket, making sure this meeting started off with Jaune already kneeling down before the intimidating landlord to scoop up his wallet and wave around the Open Lotus card.

The man didn't growl, but Jaune could hear it in his mind as beefy forearms banged against the other side of the mailbox, telling Jaune the obvious. With a sheepish smile, he dropped the card into the box and watched the man retrieve it with a tired gaze. His eyes looked far too big for the sockets they were fitted in, exemplified when they widened followed by a small chuckle that sounded more like a hacking cough. "Oh, I think I remember ya. Always assumed the cops finally caught up to ya, ey?"

That got Jaune's heart squeezing itself tight, swallowing his fear and squeaking out "W-Why would the police be after me?".

Instead of showing confusion or understanding, the man only continued to cough out a laugh, his loose cheeks jiggling with every squeak of his lungs. "I get it. I get it. 'Course, why would the cops be after you?" Jaune didn't know if the man followed that with a wink or he had something in his eye due to how he'd been repeatedly blinking throughout this entire conversation. "You kept your room reserved, so it should be just how you left it. No one's been in, no one's been out. Hope you didn't leave any food behind before you scarpered off."

Wanting to exit this conversation as soon as possible, Jaune took back the card with as enthusiastic a nod as possible, before making quick advances to move off to the side. "Alright, thanks. I'll be on my way."

However, before he could reach the twisting stairwell, he heard those meaty knuckles crack against the glass. The sound itself felt like a leather whip lashing out at his spine, stopping him in his tracks. With a shaking hand hidden behind his back and a calm sigh, Jaune hesitantly turned back towards the man, seeing one cheek spread over the surface of the glass as a bulging eye stared him down. "And if you're still in the old 'cheering' business, my mind's been feeling pretty dreary lately." The man spoke like a starving man waiting for food, like a patient in need of painkillers, underlying desperation to it that came off like a foreboding warning.

Jaune didn't wonder what the man meant, he didn't dare question what the implication on Larry's dealings this had, he just wanted to get out of view as fast as possible some he could curl up into a corner and scream. "Good to know… See you later," His eyes wandered to the broken nameplate pieces strewn across the floor in front of the desk. "Mr Gillman."

In any other instance, the focus of his mind would be on complaining about the stairs. They were long, winding and felt so loose to step on anyone would fear their next footstep sending them through the stairs. Right now, all Jaune could focus on was discussing his ever-increasing dismay at who he apparently is, but without anyone to discuss it with he was stuck talking to himself. Why did I think splitting up was a good idea again? "Great, so apparently I was a fugitive before I went into the pod? Was I on the run? Am I still on the run?" A roar undercut his words, making the stairway shake as he passed the next floor. Of course, he was situated at the top of the building. He'd punch the wall in frustration if he didn't fear he'd break the hope, spit and prayer that was holding this sham of a complex together.

By the time his tired legs left the staircase, stepping out into the empty corridor ahead, he was running purely on his questions and his contained anger. The room was close, he just needed to hold on a little more and then he could finally scream at himself in private. He'd transitioned into a full-on job through the hallways, not caring about the squealing of the floorboards with every step, not caring about the chunks of the ceiling that fell apart around him, just rounding corners as panic hammered at his mind. "Oh crap, maybe I shouldn't stay here any longer, I could be walking right into a sting operation. Or I'm at the one spot everyone knows where I am. Or… Or…"

All at once, he felt that surging energy building up within, that anger that kept him pressing on, that panic that gripped him tightly and pulled him forward; gone. In an instant, he lost control of all limbs and stood slacked jawed in front of his door. His open door. The light was on the inside, boxes keeping the door open and he swore he could hear movement inside. Someone had gotten here before him. "I should start running now." And yet, his body refused to move. He just stood there, possibilities racing through his mind, heart thumping like a sour drum. He should move. He should run. He shouldn't just stand there like an idiot. "That room might hold the only other keys to my identity… If I run now, I'll just be lost. And I can't go back to the group yet, I can't…"

Walking in like an idiot, on the other hand…

He crept towards the open doorway, fingers reaching for the frame and pulling his head forward to peer beyond it. More boxes awaited him in the mostly empty room, stacked up neatly to the side. "Are these moving boxes? Maybe I got the wrong room." A quick double-take at his card proved that hope in vain, forcing him to grit his teeth and slip inside the apartment. The space was wide for one person to live in, no kitchen, no cupboards, no windows, but two doors on one side of the room. It was mostly barren aside from two unstable looking chairs and a table that was missing a leg. It looked like a dorm room. "Funny, it kind of reminds me of the Beacon dorms. Just without all the colour."

A shred of warmth pierced the icy atmosphere gripping the room as his thoughts continued. It was like the Beacon dorms. JNPR's dorm, in particular, it was just that the room was empty. Suddenly, the world didn't seem so grey for a moment, as if the light had suddenly been turned on and contained in this room, peeling back the layers to reveal old memories. Tentatively, he approached the far end of the room, dazed with a growing smile on his face. He observed this empty corner, reaching out and closing his eyes. He could almost feel the sheets in his mind. "Nora's bed would have been here, she'd be bugging Ren about something, a dream she had or some wild thought that popped into her mind. Heh." Yes, Nora's bed would be here, closest to the middle where she slept next to Ren's own bed. She'd make a joke. Jaune couldn't hear that joke, but in his soul, he was still laughing like a mad man just at the idea of it all. And then on the bed next to Nora, pressed up against the wall, there'd be the source of the bright light in his mind. "And then… Here… Oh god. I remember."

With all his heart, he wished she was here, idly tending to her morning hair on the edge of her bed. Never left the room until she looked perfect. Always said that you can't take your job seriously if you're not even bothered to look like you take it seriously. "She'd know what to say at a time like this, always did. I know she hated being put on a pedestal, but no matter what she was doing, she'd make you feel like she was a pro at it or that you wanted to let her be. You'd never be able to believe she wasn't the Invincible Girl." And now, this amazing woman, all her achievements were reduced to just the fantasy woman he yearned for. Was that all she was now? Just some checklist of his wants for a girl made reality rather than the inspiring figure she was to him? Another good thing poisoned by this screwed up reality.

This time, Jaune was confident he could allow himself to punch the wall, glaring at the empty spot where Pyrrha's bed should be. The light was gone, everything was back to grey. All he could see is what he lost. "It's stupid. I shouldn't be trying to swell on those false memories. She didn't exist, she didn't love me and I… I didn't let her die." He fought tears as he rested against the wall, head buried in his arm. Fifteen months, for fifteen months he mourned a girl who never existed, he grieved over a mistake he designed for himself, he reduced something so precious into a vain fantasy for his own self-pity. In his mind, he could hear the door the bathroom opening, throwing himself willingly into another memory that was soon to be corrupted. He pulled back his head, let his eyes wander through the bright colours he wants paints, letting himself for just one moment live back in that happy place. He could see her spectre there, a small embarrassed smile breaking out upon seeing him. She was happy to see him, always, but while still in her Pj made it awkward. "It's wrong, but I just want her to come through that door and say-"

Pyrrha called to him breathlessly. Her perfect lips opened, echoing the that sweet, honey-tipped voice she practically breathed into the air. "Larry?"

"No, she'd say-" The lights were gone. The dorm room was back to his crappy apartment. The grey had set in once more.

And he could still see her.

"Pyrrha!?"

* * *

"Okay, Ruby, one little walk in the big city, by yourself, struggling with memory loss and looking for the man who just ripped your heart out and squashed it like a tomato? Piece of cake." Ruby Rose smirked at doubt, she laughed at it. No, she grabbed it by the hand, took it out for an excellent dinner, held down a stable relationship with a job and got married to it. That is how ready she was to easily navigate this city and talk to Jaune. People break up all the time, it's a natural thing to happen and she just needed to get over it. Correction, she was already over it, because that's what she did. Hell, if she wanted, she could go up to any random guy on the street and find a better boyfriend.

Example A, look at this guy! The man, who was minding his own business on a bench, sported a bushy beard, broad shoulders and perfectly normal knees. What a delight! Sure, he was a brunette and a little more hairy than Ruby liked, but everyone has the little things. And then there was example B who just rudely- stylishly knocked her aside on his way into the store just behind her. Muscles to spare, some nerdy attire and smelled like oil. Of course, he didn't have those bright blue eyes you could just swim in and he didn't seem like the type for cuddling and would it kill god to put one blonde guy in her view? Not that Ruby was complaining. Because she wasn't. She didn't need that gorgeous, amazing, adorable doofus. She was over him. "Ruby Rose, who may or may not also be Audrey Averge, can totally do this!"

Focusing on boys wasn't helping matters, so Ruby turned her attention to her scroll, which was still struggling to load the app. "This map app is useless. Just show me the stupid location, what's with all the tutorial features, payment pop-ups and-" There was a time and place you wanted to see certain advertisements with sensitive material. In public, just as you're walking past the judging eyes of three old women was not the time. "Oh great, I really needed porn games right now." The scroll map wasn't working. With a sigh, Ruby shut off the scroll and stuffed it back in her pocket. Her tiny and completely empty pocket. "Time to do it the old-fashioned way." She may have been a socially awkward person strolling around without what she considered her biggest confidence booster (crescent rose), but she could ask people for something as simple as directions, right? Confidently, she marched right up to the first man she saw, stood in front of him and proudly called out "Hey, Sir?" right before pushed past her without a word.

Maybe he just didn't see her? Quickly, she turned to the next man. "Sir?" It was like he couldn't even hear her while he stood in place, raising his scroll up to read the latest news articles. "Miss?" This time, the woman seemed to note someone calling to her as she passed, glancing around to find the source before shrugging and moving on. "Oh common, no one's this busy!" Attempt after attempt, but no one came close to noticing the girl's cries for attention. At best, she got people who looked right through her, their eyes still unable to note her presence, before pushing past. "God, it's like I'm invisible." She rested her hands on her hips, cheeks puffing out as frustration built. These people were rude, either that or blind. Hearing a sweet bark reach her ears, Ruby crouched down to see a tiny puppy dog jog up to her. Its fur was a beautiful golden colour and its eyes were just reeking of cuddly cuteness. "Hey, little doggie, you can see me, right?" She reached out to pet the furball of joy, only to receive a nasty shock when the dog leered back, opened its mouth and bit down on her outstretched hand before darting away. "OUCH! What did I ever do to you?"

Nursing her scraped fingers and wiping off the dog's saliva, Ruby stewed on her situation. She was not about to take this abuse lying down. She may not have Crescent Rose anymore but she was a huntress in her heart, damn the consequences. "Alright, let's try the 'Yang-Bang-Thank-You-Man'g' special." She jumped to her feet and threw herself in front of the first person she saw, making it impossible for the lady to walk around her. Then, taking a deep breath, Ruby yelled out "HEY, LADY!".

"W-w-what? Who-" The woman was scared out of her wits, even her bones could be heard rattling inside when the sudden fright made her jump in place. Her frenzied eyes came to a calm glare when they finally found Ruby, narrowing down on her as if it hurt just to look. "Oh, didn't see you there. What's wrong with you?"

Ruby silently said to herself that there was nothing wrong with Ruby, thank you very much. Alas, she kept her mouth shut and forced on a painful smile. "I just wanted directions and everybody's ignoring me."

"Well, you don't exactly stand out there." The woman stated it bluntly and with nothing that could be misinterpreted as a mistake. Either Ruby really cheesed this woman off, or this woman was just incredibly honest to a rude fault.

Quietly, Ruby tried to communicate how much that comment was unwarranted. "I asked for directions, not insults…"

"Sure, shoot." It irritated Ruby how the woman just seemed aware of what she was saying, yet was so unapologetic about it. Maybe this was why Ruby always feared talking to people.

"I think I'm heading to the 'Open Lotus'. Know where that is?" She kept repeating in her head that the more well behaved she is, the faster this goes and the faster she gets to skedaddle and leave the conversation.

"Seriously?" Quickly, it was revealed that the woman could indeed spare a humorous and gleeful smirk. At least, at Ruby's expense. "What's a fragile-looking thing like you doing wondering to that cesspit?"

Okay, Ruby was a cute buddle of small packaged awesome; She wouldn't deny that. But she did NOT look fragile, she was NOT fragile. She was tough as nails. The non-rusty ones that keep wood in place. That tough. "Fragile!?"

"Girl, you'd faint from opening up the fridge too fast." The woman leaned forward, pulling down her sunglasses (and yes, the weather did not call for sunglasses) to really look at Ruby for the first time. Her tone was low, and her eyes shifted from side to side to make sure no one was listening. "The Open Lotus is in the lower city, the districts where criminals are rampant. Step one foot in there and they'll be scraping pieces of you off their teeth in an hour tops."

"I ain't afraid of any thugs." For her own sake, Ruby tried to stand taller, keeping her hands on her hips and striking that superhero pose. She kept her smirk, remembering the last thugs she met and how she sent them flying into the nearest trash can. "I bet they're not ready to take on a Huntress!"

Laughing ensued. Violent laughing. The type of laughing that you could hear the lungs gasping for air, the type that hurt. This woman was dedicated to finding the suggestion funny. "A huntress? You? You could barely hold a kitchen knife let alone a high calibre rifle against a Grimm."

Ruby's super hero pose deflated in an instant, her frown so low it threatened to fall off her face. "You made your point, the laughing was just mean." However, everything changed when the loud scream of sirens cut straight through their conversation. The anger, the anguish, the embarrassment, all of it was pushed to the side and bathed in red. Around the street, cars threw the speed limit out the window and came within a hairs width from running over other people as they hightailed it to the nearest exit. The dome above was replaced with a red skyline, casting them all into a hellish hue as panicking crowds trampled over each other trying to escape. "What's that sound? Where's everyone going?"

The woman cried out in dismay, trying to sprint away before realizing that Ruby had grabbed hold of her arm. "That was the Grimm Alarm, you idiot. Get inside and make yourself quiet!"

Ruby did not give the reaction the woman wanted, clearly. A confident smirk and sigh of relief in the face of the woman's display of abject horror. "Grimm? Is that all?" Instead of taking off to cover, instead of questioning how a Grimm attack could happen in an underwater city without destroying everything, instead of wondering what her chances were in her current state; Ruby Rose just reminded herself that she was Ruby Rose. Fictional or not, she was gonna kick these Grimm Spawn to hell and back.

"Where are you going?!"

"I told you, I'm a huntress, enemy of Grimm!" As she strolled forward, at a slow pace to maximize the dramatic flair, she raised up one hand in a thumbs-up gesture. Her walk was confident, her smirk was glowing and even if it wasn't there, she could feel her crimson cloak billowing in the wind. Grimm, that's just what she needed to take off the weight a little today. "I know things might seem dark right now, but this isn't the time to panic, that's what the Grimm want. This is the time to get your head together and realize there's something you have to do. So, go on ahead, I'll take care of the Grimm." She stood taller, both physically and emotionally. The only thought on her mind was what was ahead. No reality, no boys, no crippling lack of identity; just Grimm. "After all, I'm a hero, one with skill, style and plenty of spirit to sp-"

This all, of course, meant nothing when the giant Nevermore swooped down and easily scooped the defenceless and fragile Audrey Averge up in its talons.


	5. Air Pockets

He remembered it all. No matter how much he wanted to dismiss any connection, any feeling as just the same as getting too emotional over a fictional character's appeal, the moment he laid eyes on her his heart stopped. Yet he could still hear its beat as it sang his memories with every emotional pang. Bu-dum. Bu-dum. He slid up to her by her locker, cutting in-between her and Weiss with what he thought was the smoothest entrance a guy could manage.

Bu-dum. Bu-dum. She giggled at his awkward mannerisms. She smiled at him. That was enough.

Bu-dum. Bu-dum. He was ready to become a bloody stain on the Emerald Forest's finely cut grass, but then came a spear that saved his life. Later, in a poem he now cringes at, he would say that spear pierced his heart.

Bu-dum. Bu-dum. She looks him in the eye and tells him she believes in him. That she trusts him. That even if he sees himself as useless, she can see the potential in him.

Bu-dum. She accepts him. Bu-dum. She empowers him. Bu-dum. She trusted him. Bu-dum. He let her down. Couldn't even warn them about Cinder coming to kill the maiden. Bu-dum. He wasn't good enough. So, she trapped him in a locker and fired him where he couldn't screw up. Bu-dum. He didn't deserve to be there. He was a fake using forged achievements to pretend he deserved to stand there with those who'd earned their place, spitting on their efforts and daring to grin about it. Bu-dum. She died. Bu-dum. She died because of him. Bu-dum. He practically killed her himself. Bu-dum.

Before him, he could convince himself that he was looking at her corpse, shambling back to tell him how wrong she was to trust him. She was still as beautiful as she always was, her bright crimson hair only dimmed in colour because of everything else being dimmed in this world, framing that perfectly symmetrical face he'd have no hard time believing it had been carved from marble. Even in the more casual everyday wardrobe of a button-up shirt and loose trackies, he could still see the makings of a powerful fighter behind it all.

Again, she was beautiful, even in how hollow he noted she looked. Her hair was stiff and cold like it had been freshly dried after being drenched, reflected in the wet dark patches on her clothes; had it been raining? Or was she sweating? Her skin was pale. Not Ruby pale, but a shade that was just enough to be unhealthy, drained and lightly bloated. Couple that with the light red circles forming around her slumped over eyes, it brought a feeling of listlessness to him, like he was looking at her from a perspective deeply sunken underwater.

"Pyrrha… You… You're here?" He felt his fingers twitch uncomfortably, so tempted to reach out towards her form and press them against her; just to prove to himself that she was actually there.

She turned her nose downwards, scrutinizing the distance between them to make sure she was far enough away from him. "Yeah. Don't worry, I'm just as surprised." Her voice was familiar, almost comfortable, yet still a far cry from the woman he knew. It was struggling to hold something back, bouncing her doubts on whether she was doing the right thing across her eyes. It reminded him of when she was trying to talk to him about destiny.

"W-What are you doing here?" For the first time, he listened to his own voice, internally cringing at the sound akin to a duck gargling stones.

"Dropping off your things." She broke out into a sigh, not willing to look him in the eye. She distracted herself with the surrounding boxes. None of them were full, in fact, they seemed quite empty, but there were still many of them. "Your books, your magazines, your photos; all your essentials" There was a pause, her hand stopping over the stacked, unframed pictures where he could just make out her beaming face from his position. Her hesitance pushed down on her lips, her expression revealing itself as a firm frown as her generous bite cut into her voice. "You know, all the stuff you left behind when you ran away."

Jaune could only assume that he and this Pyrrha had been close, his ear hearing the pang of emotional memories against his as his eyes trailed down her closed-off body language. He landed on her fingers, where she seemed to idly scratch at her ring finger as if something was supposed to be there. Could that mean…? "Oh, thanks." He knew this response made no sense, but it was the only one he could find the ability to blurt out against the raging conflict in his heart to break the silence that hung between them.

"I hope your vacation was worth it." There was an almost genuine touch to her word, what he could only assume was withheld sadness coming out as a wheeze through her gritted teeth. "The fact that I had to find out from your Mom was crappy, but hey, I… I expect it by now." Hands flicked at nothing in frustration as a weak gasp of laughter hit his cheek. Quickly, she shuffled past him, casting her gaze aside with a firm tone. "For the record, I only came because Jaune wanted me too, otherwise I'd have just sent it in the mail."

The name hit him like bullhead, knocking the wind out of him, leading him to only choke out "J-Jaune?"

Dim green eyes knitted together as they looked over his reaction. Her teeth could be seen grinding against one another, acting as thick bone walls keeping back her clear distaste for that reaction. "Yeah, you know, the son you didn't even bother sending one message to the whole time you were away?" He missed the gust of bitter unsent tears carrying her words, the only thing he could hear was 'son'. Son. He had a son. A boy, probably still young. His boy. Somehow, he had a son with Pyrrha. And he fucked it all up. "I'm not gonna ask." She quickly added on. He took her meaning, she was completely in the dark about where he was, but he dreaded the implication of what she assumed he was doing.

"A son? I have a son?" He had to repeat it, again and again, both out loud and in his head. It was hard to grapple with, like something was being forced down his throat until it choked him. What kind of father left their son to get immersed in a game and then take their name? What kind of father would be able to forget their son even then?

"Are you kidding me?" For the first time, she spoke loud, powered by anger and spitting disgust with every word as he wheezing became frustrated growls. "Of course. Of course, you are- God! I don't even know how he talked me into this." Never did she look at him as her rant got on a roll. Exasperated, her gaze fixated above them like she was pleading to whatever omniscient being was watching to tell her she wasn't crazy. "Everyone keeps saying that I shouldn't let a cheap bastard like you keep dragging me down, but here I am, still holding out for one shred of… I don't know, humility? Balls?"

Seeing her distress, her bile and all of the sadness; he knew in some way he caused it. He'd hurt this woman. He'd hurt his supposed son. He only knew Larry for less than a day, but by god did he already hate this man, this person that he was supposed to be. Maybe that's why people go into these game worlds, they make them truly realize how bad they are and how sorry they should be. Jaune didn't need context, he was sorry and he quickly bowed his head and spluttered out anything he could think of. Anything, anything to make her see that he understood. "I'm sorry, I'm just… I'm just a little frazzled at the moment."

Her eyes ripped away from the non-existent audience she was pleading too, green irises alight with surprise and shock. Quickly, however, they narrowed in suspicion, leaning closer to stare straight into his eyes. "Are you on something right now?"

She thought he was on drugs. Did that mean it was something common to expect from him? Oh, that made him feel great. On top of everything else, he might have been a damn addict. Instantly, his mind worried about the possible medical implication of if he was still an addict before he went under. Would he suffer relapse pains? Would he be longing for a hit? What drugs were even in this world?! "What? No, I'm not on anything!" He pleaded with her, begged her to give him the benefit of the doubt he didn't deserve. "It's been a weird day, okay? I'm not all there and I'm not feeling well, and- Just work with me here. It's all a little too much to handle."

There was a flicker of sympathy in her eyes, a moment of consideration for him, but it was quickly stomped out by anger. He didn't blame her. "I tried working with you for years and look where that got me."

In the face of her appearance and her vitriol, he could only cry out a desperate question. "Was I really that bad?"

By the look on her face, a million possible words pulled on her cheeks. She didn't have the time, nor the patience to say them all. "You don't want me to answer that."

He felt the weight of her voice wash over him, burying him under six feet of pressure. Shoulders sagged, his voice lost and his eyes accepting. "I don't, I really don't."

Maybe she was tired, maybe she was just feeling merciful, or maybe she found there was no point beating a dead horse when he clearly understood and agreed with her, but she couldn't keep up the anger. She dropped her arms by her side, tired, and shrugged at him. "Look, I just came to drop off your things and see how you were holding up. I kept having to tell your parents that you weren't dead all these months." He wanted to speak, to try and form some excuse that made sense and didn't make her shake her head anymore. But she just held up her hand. "Again, knowing you, the less I know about where you were, the better." She pulled her fingers up to rest on her temples, rubbing the tiredness out of them to no avail. Her next words were said with a far more deadly and focused tone. It was as if she were gripping onto the one solid thing in a world of sand. "I'm warning you, whatever's going on with you, leave us out of it. I won't let you drag Jaune into any of your troubles, not again."

Instinctively, the man cried out "I wouldn't do that to you." In his heart, he told himself, to the protest of his brain, that he'd never do anything like that. Not intentionally. He was useless. He was a screw-up. Everything about him was terrible. But he'd never willingly drag someone down with him, right? All the problems he caused, all the pain that he was unable to stop, they came from his incompetence and inability.

And with one simple sigh, she made him question that. "You used to say that a lot."

The silence that fell between them was a heavy one. Neither could muster the strength or desire to look at one another, only look over this hollow, depressing room deprived of colour. It made sense that he lived here, he deserved to live here. She shouldn't be here; she was too good for a room like this. "…I'm sorry to put you through the bother. Thanks for bringing my stuff over. You didn't have to."

"Yeah, well… You're welcome." It was obvious it hurt for her to say it, but he could allow himself to take a small degree of comfort in the genuine edge to it. Even in the worst of times, Pyrrha was that polite and welcoming. "I'm gonna go now. If I've forgotten something, you have my new number."

"Stay safe out there, Pyrrha. Okay?" He breathed in his own words deeply, almost heartbroken to see how much his words and genuine concern seemed to hit her. She looked sceptical, not allowing herself to be touched. His thoughts went to how much that feeling must have been much worse for the little boy who's father left when he was too young to understand. He didn't know this boy. He didn't remember this boy. He had no right to call himself a father. Yet, his heart yearned to try and give the boy something. That giving reassurance would be better than letting the boy forget him. "And tell… Little Jaune that I said hi and that I'm sorry for the lack of messages."

She nodded, slowly, as if she were trying to convince herself. "Don't worry, I'll tell him." With that, she picked up her bag, turned around and strode out of that room as fast as her athlete legs could take her. And suddenly, all light was stolen from the room, the dreary colours and tempered expectations drowning him again.

"No wonder I got her killed in the game." He slumped down against the stained wall, head propped up on his knuckles. "God, the way she looked at me… Is this how Ruby felt when I-" Not now, he told himself. He just had the most heart-wrenching moment of his life kick him to the floor, he did not have the strength or willpower to even attempt to think about his guilt for hurting Ruby. Not now. He needed to rest. He needed to distract himself. "Well, better get to unpacking. I'm sure Ruby and everyone else are having a blast without me."

* * *

Ruby Rose was having a blast. Well, usually she would be. A few days ago, she'd find being taken high above the rooftops of a city, hung in a death grip with the possibility of plummeting to her death ever looming over her head just another fun story to tell the awed onlookers. The height was daunting, the city below her reverted to a sea of neon blue lights that converted the building shapes to undefined splotches. She didn't know why the Nevermore had picked her off the street or where it was taking her (best bet was that it had some sort of nest where it was collecting stuff), but she did know this was one of the most uncomfortable positions she'd ever been in. Not only was she hanging upside down, making the already shaky vision even worse, but the rushing winds the Nevermore rammed headfirst against hit her throat with a crushing force, making it hard to breathe this high up.

"The first rule of Grimm Encounter, a calm huntsman is key. Even… Even when you're hanging upside down by a massive demon bird, high enough to become pavement pizza if dropped." Ruby was usually very good with handling the pressure of an ever-dangerous situation. Grimm Attack? Bah, she was cool as a cucumber who could talk and spew witty banter with her teammates. She could pose, she could style and she could fight with the best of them. But there lied the issue, in those situations she had her semblance, she had her precious weapon and she had her training with Uncle Qrow. She had the ability. Here? She was stuck in this weird body that had a practically broken leg, can barely run a few feet without stopping to catch her breath and, as Ruby quickly discovered, did not have enough force behind her to make slamming her fists against the talons that held her worth it.

However, she wasn't going to let this newfound distress control her. Yes, she was currently in a body that was inadequate for kicking Grimm ass. It was a disadvantage. But you know what? That's what Huntsmen do best, shining when the odds are stacked against them and adapting. She just had to find out what this body could do and build her strategy around that. "I'm not scared. I'm Ruby Rose. I'm a badass Huntress. I can kill Nevermore in my sle-" As if fate were purposely contorting itself to slap her down every time, the Nevermore suddenly decided now was the best time to bring it's talons up, swiftly launching Ruby upwards with ease. As she moved through the air, she felt totally weightless, like she'd been pulled out of her body and left to float. Doubt crept in. Images of all the brutal ways she could be reduced to only a splatter on the pavement below flashed before her. It didn't relieve her when she found the two ends of the Nevermore's beak trap her between them, holding her upright this time. "Torchwick, I'm sorry, I'll never make fun of the way you died again!"

From her new position, everything still looked like a window drenched in water and smudged together. However, she did notice that the Nevermore seemed to be slowing down as it circled around a set of four spires that seemingly dug into the roof of the dome. "Damn it, I can't just let myself get stuck here like this. I'm not just some damsel in distress, I can take care of myself. I kick names and take ass…" She felt a loud rumble in the Nevermore's beak as it presumably tried to caw without opening it's beak and letting her go. It reminded her of when her dad's throat would shake when he tries to hold in a laugh. "Oh, like you could say it right either!"

As the shaky ride continued, bringing up some unsettling groans from her stomach, she noted that she could now see her legs hanging limp opposite her. They were free! Her legs had always been one of her most deadly weapons. Yes, when paired with her semblance, but they were still the thighs of titans on their own, she was sure. Ruby began to wiggle her now free foot, reeling it back before driving it forward like a piston. "I'm gonna kick the hell out of-" Her fatal blow, which she was sure would have been absolutely devastating to the Grimm, was cut short when the pain of a thousand needles jabbing at her leg hit her mid-swing. "Ow, ow, ow. This is the _worst_! Yikes, that leg really stings. How do I keep forgetting about that?" As she breathed out the echoing ache of her dummy leg, the Nevermore landed with a careless thump on a roof. It seemed it made a building with four towers jutting out of each corner it's perch. "Think Ruby, think. Your leg is useless, your arms are free but weak, you're on your stomach and you don't have you amazing semblance to help you out. What do you do?"

Rotten eggs. Tai's infamous potato salad. Smoke. The pungent stenches wormed their way into her nose and ripped her from her thoughts, her brain quickly recalling those smells. Separately, they were disgusting, but together they were- _Explosive Dust Round!_ In the split second, her brain made the connection, she felt a growing heat lash out at her cheek, giving her only a moment to turn her attention sidewards to watch the mini-shooting star. A tail of flames trailed behind it, produced by the chemical instability instigated by the kinetic energy wrapping around the shot. It made it look bigger than the small dust cartridge it was in reality.

Ruby found herself thanking whatever brother of lighting when the explosive round came to her, coming mere inches away from reducing Ruby to a roast dinner. Instead, it skimmed her shoulder, which was still painful in it's own right, and spin into an explosive slam as it drove into the Nevermore's underbelly. "Holy crab cakes. _That almost hit me._ What the hell?"

Immediately, Ruby took one quick and full gasp of breath, knowing that it was only mere seconds before the resulting smoke of the explosion engulfed her. She never liked smoking and she wasn't going to start liking it now. "Alright big, black and funky: put the elderly woman down." A voice, one that played a familiar tune in Ruby's head, cut through the smog with a single confident slice. The shooter. The Nevermore, seemingly unaffected by the smoke, roared back at the insulting voice, furiously beating its wings to blow the obscuring smoke back. Perched on one of the towers, a hefty gatling gun easily held in her hands, the shooter stood with unmatched confidence and swagger. A style of soft brown swirls clothing her, a voice as smooth and cream and an attitude that threatened to burn your tongue; life a fresh cup of coffee.

"Coco? Oh my god, Coco, it's been 6-8 months since I last saw you!" Ruby cried out in pure joy, her eyes never ceasing to be impressed by the women's impeccable fashion sense and dominating style. However, she paused upon rethinking Coco's words. "Elderly woman? Who is she talking abo- Hey!"

"Careful, Coco. What if it drops her off the roof?" The softer, yet still confident voice made Ruby look to find everyone's favourite rabbit Faunus, Velvet, hanging off the side of the building by one hand. She seemed to weakly smile up at Coco with a mix of worry and embarrassment.

Coco merely shrugged at her (unwilling) partner in fashion. "Then you catch her? She doesn't look that heavy."

"You guys still look cool, by the way!" Despite all the doubt, danger and depressing subject matter, Ruby couldn't rub the stars out of her eyes. Most likely because her hands were currently bound by a beak.

Velvet looked to the trapped civilians, offering a quirked brow and an awkward wave back at Ruby, calling up to her. "Don't worry, Miss, you'll be safe as long as you keep calm." Her brows shifted and she put her free hand to her ear, quickly switching back to Coco and giving a reassuring nod. "The boys are in position."

This news seemed to put a great big smile on Coco's bright pink lips, forming a cheeky kissy face as she blew the Grimm a taunt. "Alright, you had your chance, birdy. Time to clip your wings!" A quiet grunt alerted Ruby to the position directly below her, where the hulking Yatsuhashi squatted down, the far smaller and leaner form of Fox standing on the flat side of Yatsuhashi's massive great sword. For a second, they silently stared up at Ruby. In that second Ruby examined their next course of action, noting Fox stood like he was about to be launched off a trampoline. Thinking back to the wing comment and looking where their eyes shifted over the Nevermore's flapping wings, Ruby suddenly found herself gulping. "Don't let me go, don't let me go, don't let me-" With the only warning being the sharp metal scream of Yatsuhashi's sword, Fox's body suddenly crashed into the bony wing at full speed. Ruby could certainly hear of bones snap in the wing, almost making her feel sorry for the Grimm. However, that was before the force of the blow rattled the body enough that the beak opened just a little bit wider and sent Ruby plummeting. She was on the fast track to becoming floor pizza and she had no landing strategy. "AAAAAAAAH! This is not the fun type of falling!"

As Fox seemed to leap out of view, Ruby felt a large body sweep through the air and snatch her from her fall like he was catching the winning ball. Yatsuhashi stuck the landing near flawlessly, turning it from a panicking fall to a smooth ride. "Stay calm, Miss. You have fallen out of harm's way." He cradled her in his arms, keeping her close enough that he could easily shift into a protective meat shield for her if he needed to. Ruby, however, found that she could not keep still, shuffling in his arms as she tried to find a more comfortable position to lie in. "May I ask you to please stop squirming, you keep hitting me."

Unfortunately, she only heard him when her good food idly drove a weak heel into the underside of his chin. Earning her a look of passive aggravation. "Oof, sorry about that!" She'd scratch the back of her neck sheepishly if she could.

"You must not panic. Your negativity is drawing more Grimm."

Ruby's legs punched out to communicate the excitement her bound arms were unable to do, making sure not to hit her saviour this time. "More Grimm? Aha! This was just what I was looking for?"

Yatsuhashi looked down at the woman, who in his view was a helpless and very frail civilian, with a perked brow. He waited for her to reveal that she was joking or misheard him but the moment never came. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" She waved her hand dismissively as the man held her loose enough for her to scramble out of his grasp, taking her stance and punching the air in glorious confidence. She turned back to Yatsuhashi with a confident stare and a cheeky wink, shooting him a thumbs up. "You know, just had sort of an off day, I need a bit of a Grimm workout right now."

Coco's dismissive tone wriggled its way into Ruby's ear. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, Lady," Around her, the other members of Team CFVY dropped down, the Nevermore seemingly missing for the moment as a small pack of beowolves came into view behind them. The Grimm seemed to have scaled the building to aid their fellow creatures of darkness. "but you're not a Huntress. So, step back and let us do our jobs." Quickly, Ruby was pushed behind them as the group formed a defensive line in front of her, all looking quite confident that this small pack would pose no trouble. Ruby wouldn't have worried either. Well, she wouldn't have worried if she had Crescent Rose with her.

Still, she laughed at Coco's concern. Not that she didn't appreciate Coco doing her job and protecting the civilian, but Ruby knew she could handle herself. She was fully free to use all fo her limbs now, she could easily fight now. And against Beowolves? The chump mooks of Grimm? No sweat. "Oh, come on, that Nevermore just got in a lucky shot." Not taking common sense as an answer, Ruby blundered forward, throwing herself into the small gap between Coco and Fox to push her way through their barrier and out into the front lines. She was not going to sit around getting saved. "Now that I'm free, I can do some serious-" Adding to her long list of mistakes today, Ruby decided to lead with her worst foot forward, slamming the bad leg into the ground with an intense force, easily taken by her own excitement. Of course, upon making contact with eh floor, her leg immediately cried out with the crumbling noise of a bone-cracking.

She wasn't given any chance to yell multiple swear words to communicate her sudden pain, the sprained leg buckling under her weight, bringing her entire body face-first into the ground. "Ack, damn that stupid leg." The haunting growl of an alert beowulf made the pain go numb and cold inside of her, predatory shadows growing over her and blocking her view of the city's lights and gnashing their jaws at her. "Oh, cra-"

With the first show of fear, the first Beowolf was upon her, launching itself forward with it's claws raised high. Already, Ruby could see flashes of her blood staining it's hungry claws, her lacking aura leaving nothing to protect her from it tearing her guts out and leaving her to choke on her own blood. She didn't make a move to dodge, she didn't try to attack, she did nothing. Ruby Rose flinched and waited for the timely intervention of Coco and her giant gun. Dust rounds rip through the charging beast, reducing it to ashes. "We told you to get behind us and let us do our jobs!"

"S-Sorry." Ruby was roughly grabbed by the back of her collar and shoved back behind them. "I was just trying to help."

Coco pursed her lips, pulling down her shades an inch to lock Ruby with a clear irritated glare. "Do us a favour and stop helping. You're not a huntsman or a badass, you're dead weight. You're only gonna get in the way."

Deadweight. The words stood in front of Ruby like a neon sign, burning bright enough to make her eyes water, yet burn their letters into her eyelids. Deadweight. Deadweight? She wasn't dead weight. Deadweight meant useless, meant that she was holding people back, that it would be better if she wasn't there; which is just not true. It can't be true. Yet she couldn't bring herself to form the words to object. It wasn't some random lady saying this to Ruby, it wasn't someone she hated; it was Coco. Someone she respected, even now. How could she say such a thing?

Ruby's head hung low, weakly replying "…Okay."

Coco didn't look back at Ruby. She didn't wait to see if Ruby understood. Initially, Ruby wanted to say it was obvious Coco was just focusing on the danger ahead. But something inside Ruby's head told her that it wasn't. She knew, somehow, it wasn't. She didn't care about Ruby's response.

As the rest of the Grimm got braver and began to charge at the Huntsman team, Coco was the first to jump back into action, unloading her conveyor belt of death upon them. Her dust rounds, as expected, made quick work of them but the close quarters of the Grimm made it hard to shoot them down before they got close enough to do damage. Their resident samurai was carrying out most of the close-range load, knocking back groups of Grimm that dared to get close in one sweeping movement. They needed to spread them out it seemed.

Ruby looked to Velvet, finding the woman's face had hit something of a revelation, grinning from ear to ear as she rushed to her big friend. "Yatsuhashi, launch me!" Her voice was brimming with pride and energy as if the mere thought of coming up with such an idea made her giddy.

Yatsuhashi looked at her oddly for a moment before his face broke out into a teasing, but small, smile. "Make sure you stick the landing this time." He crouched down, staring down the approaching Grimm with a calm gaze. His sword was held down, the flat side facing the Grimm as Velvet taking her position on it. Soon enough, Ruby saw hard light dust constructions of extra limbs pushing out of Velvet's back, gripping onto the sword to let her stand balanced and build pressure in her feet. _Must be a weapon she snapped. Is there a huntsman wandering around with two extra arms as their weapon?_ Ruby thought.

With a click of her heels, she brought Yatsuhashi's fist colliding with the back of the blade, the force from the punch carrying through the steel and launching the small rabbit girl off into the crowd of Grimm like a cannonball. "That's my girl!" Coco called to Velvet as the body easily blasted through the Grimm, either turning them to dust bunnies outright or knocking them aside and completely breaking their line. "Let's turn these Grimm into paste, Fox. Shall we?" The two teammates shared a competitive smirk, a silent desire to show up the other in score points before they charged into the fray after their teammate.

The battle that followed almost seemed like a fever dream to Ruby. She, apparently a normal human girl, couldn't follow the action too well, just catch snapshots of it. Before he the forms of the Huntsman flashed between Grimm like they were in-between frames of animation. Fox didn't kick a Grimm into the ground, he merely held his leg out before vanishing with his opponent gone. Yatsuhashi only had to look at his targets before they were sliced and diced before him. It was so fast, so powerful that Ruby's normal eyes could barely catch up to what she was seeing. Is this what Huntsman fights looked like to normal people? Was she truly normal now?

At some point, could have been minutes or hours for all she knew, a body bumped into her shoulder and she was saw the team was standing in front of her. Behind them, nothing. They were off the roof, back on the street, everything was back to normal; everything had passed so quickly. How? "Wow… Just wow. That was amazing." She gasped out, her lungs feeling like they were collapsing on themselves just from watching them.

Coco, the one who's body brushed past her, stopped and turned around to face Ruby. The inch of her eyes that was offered by the lowered shade showed complete surprise at the girl's words. "Huh? Oh, didn't see you there."

If blinking made a sound, Ruby was hearing it loud and clear as her confused eyes were repeatedly sheltered by her eyelids. "Um… You just saved me?" She shook her head, she had to be missing something. How would Coco have forgotten about her so easily? Ruby wasn't so insignificant that she could so simply be dismissed out of hand by accident, and Coco, while a little cocky and self-absorbed, was nowhere near mean enough to do so either intentionally.

Yet, here Coco was, waving a lazy hand at Ruby dismissively, not even looking at Ruby while she talked. "Yeah, yeah, sure. You want a pair of my shades, I bet." Her fingers rummaged around through her purse.

"No?" Trying to be polite despite not needing shades, Ruby shot Coco a sweet and gentle smile. _Coco's probably under a lot of stress._ Ruby reasoned. _No way she'd be this rude on purpose._

Either Coco didn't hear her or simply ignored her answer, shoving the pair of stylish shades over Ruby's face, covering her vision with a soft brown filter. "Here you go, but don't take this as encouragement to go running into any more danger, kay?"Even when Coco directly addressed Ruby, it still felt like she was talking through the girl, like she wasn't there. "Just let the real heroes do their jobs."

To her credit, Ruby didn't rip the unwanted eyewear off immediately, only pulling it down to look over the edges at Coco. The brown tint to everything did nothing to make things easier to see. "But I-"

When the woman started patting Ruby on the back, cutting off her words and signalling for the rest of the team to start moving away, Ruby had to admit that there was a small bit of offence taken. "Always good meeting a fan, but us Huntsman gotta run. Lots of crises to solve and people to save."

 _Calm. Calm. Be nice. You're just stressed. She's just stressed. Calm._ Swallowing her bubbling aggravation, the girl opted to continue to try and explain herself better. "I get that, I just wanted-"

"Oh alright, fine you'll get your autograph." And then the headshot of Coco's grinning face with the sun reflecting off the glass over her eyes was pushed into Ruby's hand, a pen poised over it. "To my fabulous fan…?"

Just accept it, she told herself. She sighed. "Ruby."

Coco just shrugged, and Ruby could swear she heard a groan or laugh being held back. "Bambi, yeah, yeah, you look like a Bambi."

"What does that even mea-" With the autograph signed and Ruby no longer a priority, the Huntsman quickly took the cue to leave, swiftly turning their backs on Ruby and striding away into the crowd mid-sentence. "AM I JUST NOT ALLOWED TO FINISH A SENTENCE?!" She cried out to the sky, only receiving the odd and startled looks of the people around her as a response. Suddenly, she felt very self-conscious as she felt everyone's eye on her, prompting her to stare at the floor and push forward past whoever. "How did that happen? I'm Ruby Rose, damn it! I shouldn't need team CFVY to help me take on a Nevermore." Her nails dug into pale palms, either struggling to contain anger or delivering a pinching pain to distract her from the shame of it all. "Correction: I shouldn't need to be protected from a Nevermore." Ruby wasn't book smart, she wasn't a social butterfly, she wasn't a cook, she wasn't a dancer and among many other things she floundered at. Because she focused on training to be a Huntress, training to be the best she could be, and damn right she deserved to take pride in her abilities. So, what else could she do but shake at the prospect that her abilities were fiction? Accept it? No, she couldn't accept it. She could only stand against it. "Gah! I feel so… So…"

It was the epitome of frustration for the young girl. Handling negative emotions building up in her stomach was never her strong suit, but this was even worse because now her usual outlets were all gone. Scream into a pillow? No bedroom. Wave arms around like a madwoman? That's considered weird here, probably. Beat up some Grimm? She hated this stupid leg with it's stupid limp and it's stupid pains. It was like a stomach cramp that just wouldn't go away, twisting her insides in knots. The one thing she could give credit to in her condition was that the constant questions and growling she went through mentally made for a very good distraction. Such a good distraction that by the time she came back to reality, pulling her head up over the sea of thoughts for air, she came an inch away from slamming into the front door to the Open Lotus.

"That was close." She quickly muttered under her breath as she jumped back, eyes swiftly casing the area to make sure no one witnessed her aimless daze into the door. It seemed only the only soul around to watch was a bird, a crow, perched atop the slanted roof overlooking her. For a moment, her heart stopped, squeezing her chest tightly as the bittersweet delusion told her to keep her eyes on the crow. She shouldn't have but she could resist falling into a hopeful trance. She stared up at the animal for a good few minutes, and by the end of it the bird only shot her a curious stare before flapping off. It didn't change into a friendly face that would trap her in a hug that would make everything better. It was just a bird, nothing more.

Ruby sighed and, with a heavy heart, ripped her gaze away from the deserted rooftop and looked over the unpleasantly bright, yet dark building. "This is the Open Lotus? It looks… Inviting." Despite feeling like a germaphobe in a sewer tunnel, she took a deep breath, mentally yelled at herself to uphold positive thoughts and pushed through the door. Immediately, she was hit by the sickly yellow colour scheme. Honestly, while it wasn't the most appealing colour, it was a nice break from the constant blue of the outside, almost warm when she got past the smell it made her nose imagine. "Uh, excuse me?" Putting on her best nervous smile, she strode up to the greeting area with as much confidence as she could muster. It seemed to be empty at the moment with no one visible behind the glass, but the thick, choking aroma of smoke stabbing at her nostrils seemed fresh.

"What have we got here? Little kitten got lost?" It was only after the gruff voice hit her that she registered the sound of a door opening and shutting. To her side came a man who she could only assume was the 'Mr Gillman' the sign introduced as the landlord, pulling his ripped jeans up over his pronounced stomach and fiddling with the belt. A cigar was clamped between his lips, hanging over the remains of a shaved beard. Did he take a cigar into the toilet with him? Seemed like a choking hazard to her.

Ruby shook those questions out of her head, making sure she greeted the man politely. "Well, I'll admit, I got a little lost on my way here." There was a wiggling sensation creeping up her lower back, like a shiver that just couldn't quite make it. She felt eyes give her a thorough once over, but she didn't pay those feelings any attention, trying to break the ice of the tension she didn't know was there. It couldn't be that bad, the man had already given her a friendly nickname. "Maps these days, am I right?"

He let out a small snort, the sound reminding her of a dog sniffing the floor for anything interesting. She didn't know if that meant he found her joke funny but went to roll with it. Slowly, she approached the man, giving him a colourful smile and offering a hand. For a moment, he looked to her face, then to her hand and then back again with a look of suspicion. One she could see herself pulling whenever she suspected a Grimm was about to pop out and attack. "You sure you got the right place, Kitten? You kinda stand out here."

Her? Stand out? Ruby's smile only brightened at the comment, her previously awkward stance swelling with pride to something more stable. Maybe all hope wasn't lost after all. "I'm sure! This is the Open Lotus, right? I'm looking for a friend."

The cigar plopped out into his open palm as the man leaned closer, his rosy cheeks jiggling with the sudden movement, drawing attention away from his shifty eyes. "…You a cop?"

Instead of treating the implications of the comment with suspicion or foreboding, Ruby took this as a compliment on how fierce she looked. Playfully, she slapped the man on the shoulder (immediately regretting it as it felt like sticking her fingers in a spilt soft drink) and giggled. "Me? No, would never be able to get over the uniforms."

Mr Gillman nodded slowly, his smile returning as his fingers drummed against the back of her hand. "Oh, I get it. You're looking for a… 'Friend', ey?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

His hands came up in front of him to grip her shoulders, not anything rough but making her shift slightly. "Of course, of course. Where are my manners? I'm sure I can hook you up with a friend, right quick. 'Course, it's gonna take a little compensation."

"I get it, don't wanna waste your time." Ruby slipped out of his grasp as she bent over to reach for her new bland as toast wallet, shifting coins and notes aside. "Let's see what I have… OOoo, lookie here; ten liens. That's a score. You can buy, like, a lot of cookies with that."

Gillman's brow perked up, his throat rumbling as he let out a raspy chuckle. "You think I'm an idiot? That's chump change."

"Oh, was that insulting? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean anything by it." Her cheeks burned crimson as embarrassment flushed through her, prompting her hands to wave about apologetically and her voice to shoot up a few octaves.

"Well, I feel offended anyway." His eyes narrowed, yellow teeth-baring firm and arms crossed over his chest.

Suddenly, his shadow lingering over her became much more noticeable. "Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot scarier up clos-" In a blink of an eye, she was on the floor with one hell of a headache. Though it wasn't the landlord that had struck her, something hit her from behind. All Ruby could do was stare up at the cracks in the ceiling as everything began to twist into blurry vision. "This is my life now. The floor is only one who doesn't push me."

Above her, a bright red hue shone through the vomit yellow aesthetics in the form of a woman. Ruby couldn't make out the face, just that the woman was leaning over her. "Blast it all; what was I thinking? Are you alright, Miss? Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going!" Peachy blobs that were assumed to be hands descended towards Ruby, which the girl instinctively grabbed onto, just thankful for someone to treat her nicely today. She misjudged this place, it might have looked a little shabby, but all the people in it are so nice.

"I'm used to it." Her voice came out strained, the voice you have after waking up in the morning and trying to fight the temptation to return to sleep. "Though you're the first person who was nice about… it…" The woman was strong, Ruby wouldn't say she was heavy, but still, the woman being able to so easily pull her up was surprising. And her voice was so soft too, like the strum of a harp, bring to mind images a burning spear darting behind a bronze shield. _Wait, what do those have to do with harps?_ Ruby's vision started to peel back to a clearer view, slapping her brain awake and telling her that this voice was familiar. Her hand gripped the woman's wrist, pulling herself forward to get a full view at the voice that tickled the back of her mind, flickering joy and shame before her. "Pyrrha?"

There was no mistaking it, even underneath the drab clothing and dimmed lighting, Ruby could instantly see the warrior she knew. The warrior she failed. The warrior she watched die. "Uh, yes? How do you know my name?" It was an odd feeling for Ruby, staring into the eyes of someone she'd befriended and mourned, and those eyes only saw a stranger.

"I know… I heard it. From a friend." Lost in thought, she could only splutter out a quick excuse to avert the image of some sort of stalker.

Pyrrha's eyes widened slightly, rushing over Ruby with a contemplative stare. There was a flash of disappointment or maybe regret. Either way, Ruby could see that her association with Jaune was making Pyrrha question Ruby's own character. Not a good sign. "Oh. You must be a friend of Larry's? You don't look…" Her lips formed a thin line, the expression softening as she shook her head. "It's silly of me, I shouldn't be judging your appearance. Sorry. Again."

"No, no, it's fine." Ruby fought the urge to let out a loud sigh of relief, the last thing she needed was Pyrrha turning on her while she was already fighting the emotional volcano that this reunion had erupted. "But yeah, Larry and me, we go way back. Like way back." Immediately, the ex-maybe Huntress didn't like the way she was speaking. Her voice was awkward, but there was a hint of pride or snark to it, like she was trying to brag about her connection to Jaune. _It's just me being frazzled,_ Ruby justified to herself mentally, _I wouldn't do that and especially not to someone as nice as Pyrrha._ "How… How do you know him?"

"I suppose he would avoid talking about us too much." The sigh that left Pyrrha's lips was one that had a good few years of experience. "Ex-wife. Well, soon to be, he sorta vanished before we could go through with the divorce papers."

"Oh." It was petty. Ruby knew it was petty and she knew that this was absolutely not the time for such feelings. And yet, that one comment, _ex-wife_ , it struck a jealous chord in Ruby. One that wasn't terribly unfamiliar for the girl. Not only did seeing Pyrrha bring back both the good memories and the bad memories, but it also brought back the feelings Ruby had always pushed away for how insecure and vindictive they made her feel. Jealousy. Jealous of Pyrrha's relationship with Jaune, jealous of Pyrrha even when Ruby finally got with Jaune and now, even when everything was revealed to be fake, she was still jealous of a girl she didn't even know for having a past relationship with a guy she might barely know. This day had amplified all of Ruby's insecurities and it made her feel like such a jerk.

While on the inside, Ruby was having a mental yell at herself for inappropriate negative emotions towards a nice girl who had done nothing to her, on the outside, Ruby put on a brave face. "Terrible day, but one hell of an icebreaker, ey?" She was bad enough at small talk, but this was even worse.

"I guess." It was almost comforting that Pyrrha found this conversation as awkward as Ruby did, wringing her hands together as her eyes failed to find an appropriate spot to stare at without being weird. "I just came by to drop off his stuff. I didn't know he'd have company." Finally, Pyrrha's eyes, those kind eyes that shined brightly even under the dim lighting, decided to meet Ruby's bland ones. They were joined by a small smile. A smile that Ruby could imagine was once much wider but had been worn down over the years. "I didn't even know he had friend friends."

"I don't think he's expecting me. We sorta had a falling out today, so I've come to talk it out." Her shoulders hung low as she talked, voice rife with regret. On top of all her other conflicting emotions, then came back the gut-punch of a moment where Jaune broke up with her. No matter how much she denied her feelings on the matter, that it wasn't that bad, that she completely understood Jaune's reasoning; it stung. It still stung. "Then hopefully we can meet up with our other friends, Ren and Blake." A few moments of silence was traded between the two, Pyrrha, seeing Ruby's obvious discomfort, reached out to pat Ruby on the shoulder. This small act of kindness made Ruby push on a small smile, reminded that Pyrrha was an old friend. A dear old friend that she had the privilege of seeing again, even if the circumstances were completely screwed up. "I'm Ruby, by the way."

Pyrrha started to recite her own name, then awkwardly laughed as she remembered that Ruby already knew. From then, her hands retracted and fell into her pockets. "I hope you do better with him than I did."

"I'm sure you were fine!" She meant it. More than anything, Ruby meant it. Pyrrha was fine. No, she was _amazing_. Ruby was jealous because Pyrrha was so much better, so good, on a level that Ruby always had that doubt she could ever reach both as a person and as a huntress. "Some things just don't work out. Even when it looks so much like it should."

"Heh, I get that feeling." The weary glance Pyrrha offer was matched by Ruby's own, both girls taking comfort in the common ground. "Just don't get your hopes up too much. Reality can be disappointing." They didn't know each other, not in this word, Ruby didn't even know herself, but she could feel the years behind Pyrrha's words. It reminded her of Ozpin speaking of how many mistakes he'd made in his long life, she could just feel that it wasn't a light or ill-informed statement.

"It can be," Ruby began softly, closing her eyes for a moment as she felt her distressful emotions bubble over her and burning scars into her flesh. However, the pain she felt internally didn't compare to the pain caused by looking into Pyrrha's eyes, or Jaune's, or Ren's or Blake's. They were all hurting too. And whether the adventures they shared were real or not, the friendship that bonded them was still fresh in her heart. "but that's exactly why we should strive to brighten it up, right?" Even if memories threatened to come back and add extra details, even if the situations they believed were real were just simulations, they were still friends. They spent almost an entire year together and, even under a falsehood, you can't come out of that without some kind of bond. They were her friends and she couldn't let them down, no matter how much her optimism seemed to be delusion.

"Maybe." Pyrrha seemed to consider Ruby's simple words for a moment, but didn't seem to come to a positive conclusion for them. "It was nice talking to you, but I have places to be. Be careful with Larry, he seems out of it at the moment."

"It was nice talking to you to." Ruby gave her a small wave as the fellow red head moved past Ruby and towards the front door. "Oh, and Pyrrha?"

The woman came to a stop at a snail's pace, as if every step she was telling herself to get out of the building as quickly as possible. "Yes?"

Ruby took a deep breath. Maybe it was the guilt of a simulated death that Ruby's heart could never let go of, or maybe it was just as simple as not wanting to let a good person doubt themselves, but she had to help somehow. She didn't know whether she had any of her speeches still in her, but she had to try. For Pyrrha's sake, she had to try. "Sorry… Uh, about how your life turned out. I hope things get better."

The silence that followed was as heavy as steel, forming chains that choked Ruby into silence as she waited for any sort of answer. Pyrrha just stood there, her head staring directly ahead, not offering Ruby even a cursory glance of how those words affected her. Ruby got nothing but a slow nod and the departing figure of the back of Pyrrha's head. "That's nice of you to say."

* * *

"So…" A pause. Just an extra second to again take it all in. "You're a daddy?"

Jaune didn't even seem to be processing the information, just counting every crack on the wall in front of him under an intense stare, his voice monotoned and distant. "Apparently. A little boy named Jaune."

"Oh, that explains… A lot." Ruby appreciated that Jaune's back was to her as even she didn't know what kind of a face she was making as she stared at him. Her words came out in a forcefully casual tone, accompanied by many stilted pauses and stumbling as her mind kept swerving between different words to try and come off as supportive. "Hard to believe." After her talk with Pyrrha half an hour prior, Ruby had knocked on the door of Jaune's apartment expecting the worst. She was expecting snarky comments, frustration delivered through flying objects, hopeless wailing, something more emotionally exhausting to deal with than just his silent slump. She didn't know whether this meant he was taking it well or taking it horribly. Silver lining, sitting on a box while the two recounted their day and making small comments about the state of his apartment wasn't as awkward as she expected their conversation to be. It would almost be friendly if everything hadn't been so depressing.

"Tell me about it. I'm still trying to understand it all." Jaune looked at that wall like he was faced with the most convoluted mathematical equation of all time, the cracks forming multiplications, fractions and algebraic letters in an effort to confuse him.

Thoughtfully, Ruby stroked her chin, desperate to ease the tension with a good idea. "Do you need milk? I know milk always help me when everything is hitting hard."

She heard it. It was sharp, it was short and it was low, but she heard him chuckle. "Pretty sure the milk in my fridge is expired."

"Then we'll get you more! Anything you need to deal with this." Her lips parted to birth a toothy grin, as well as a small growl from her stomach at the thought of a drink or food.

"Ruby…" He turned to her and, to her surprise, he bore a small smile.

"Oh, I wasn't butting in, was I?"

He simply shook his head, breaking off his staring contest with a gentle cough as he strode closer to her and sat beside her on the makeshift sofa. "Are Ren and Blake okay?"

The two scooted closer together now that the air seemed to lighten, in a manner that was completely plutonic. "Oh, they're great. Blake's Butler is so nice!" Her hand came up to rub the back of her neck in that awkward manner it always did, a small smile of her own breaking through. Their situation was still bad, but after facing what seemed to be the brunt of it, it was like a veil had come down and they were allowed to be comfortable with each other again. They could distract themselves and focus on the future for now. "That reminds me, they said to call them as soon as I found you."

He nodded as he watched her rifle through her pockets for her scroll. "So, everything went well?"

"Oh yeah, everything went fine… You know, outside of the Grimm attack."

He continued nodding in a delayed few seconds before suddenly freezing into a statue and pushing his eyes wide. "WHAT!?"

"Oh yeah, I almost got eaten by a Nevermore. No big deal." She waved her hand in a dismissive wave as if she were still a huntress who could treat such situations casually.

"Are you okay? Do you need a hospital or something!?" The way he broke through any emotional barriers he'd raised, the way his body instinctively shot forward to pull her under examination, it sparked a fire in Ruby's heart that made her feel very warm inside. She was flushing red briefly, but a smile fought it's way through. He still cared this much, even after all he said.

"Whoa, whoa, I'm fine. My self-confidence has been hit over the head a little, but I'm good!" Her voice was light with humour as she patted Jaune on the back before pushing him off her. "Team CVFY saved me."

Begrudgingly halting his protective assault, Jaune leaned back and gave a pointed look. A whistle drew under his breath. "They're real people too, huh? What are they like here?"

Ruby hesitated, she didn't want to say anything bad about them, but she didn't exactly feel like the more complimentary words really fit here. "…A bit standoff-ish" A sigh broke free as she looked back on her encounter with them, how insignificant they made her feel. That wasn't their fault, was it? They probably didn't mean to intentionally anyhow. "You know, they have busy lives. Apparently, they're quite the celebrities…" Her voice fell for a brief regret. "Because they're Huntsman… And we're not."

"Must be why we had them as over-powered killing machines in the simulation." Jaune's face, on the other hand, drew together into a more thoughtful look. Again, the stare of a man trying to solve a problem. "So… Grimm, huh? Anything different about them?"

Ruby shrugged. "Not really. It's just they don't have an immortal witch on their side now."

"So, Grimm are just back to being a natural predator of our world?"

"Pretty much." Her arms came around her chest as she spoke, as if protecting herself from a sudden unseen chill. "I don't know why, but that doesn't feel as comforting as I thought it would be. You know, taking Salem out of the equation." There was something more unnerving about the Grimm not having one big evil face controlling them.

Jaune seemed puzzled by another aspect, squinting at her curiously. "How did they get into an underwater city without… Flooding everything?"

"I don't know." Ruby shrugged, raising her brow at the fact that of all the facts to focus on, that's the part Jaune questions. Though at the mention of the city's environmental situation, another question immediately came to mind. "Why is there an Underwater City?"

She found it adorable the way Jaune's face lit up as he'd found the answer to something for one, shaking his scroll at her to show the internet page he'd been looking at. Adorable in a completely non-romantic or attractions sense, of course. "The internet says it was built during a whole paranoid craze of thinking Atlas was going to unleash super weapons on the rest of the world. The founders found a region under the sea with special properties brought on by the gravity dust in the area, made it possible to house life. It said something about gravity pockets and stuff, but the science is kinda out of my depth. Makes it difficult for anyone to attack from the outside, at least."

Ruby shot out of her seat, eyes practically shining like stars at the prospect. "That sounds so cool. Incredibly dangerous, but cool!" She found herself pacing in front of Jaune, each step ringing out and guiding her thought process in understanding the information. "So, it's like some sort of war-time shelter? But then the war never happened?"

Jaune nodded. "So, they made it into a tourist hub."

They both shared a long, silent stare as everything around them seemed to slow down. It only then hit them how both meaningless, yet shocking the information felt for them to repeat to one another. "Everything has changed so much, yet also so little… It sure is disturbing."

"Ruby…" There was that soft utterance of her name that made her heart swell. Again, in a friendly manner.

She broke the quiet with a sight, slinking closer to Jaune and finding it too awkward to sit next to him now. "Hey, Jaune; um… Awkward question incoming." Her head nodded nervously to the lack of response, Jaune just waiting for her to continue. It wasn't an easy pill to swallow, to broach the topic she was holding on the tip of her tongue mere hours after she and Jaune had their big dramatic break-up. "Listen, I have literally no idea where I'm supposed to live. I don't have any clues in my stuff, I don't have any keys and I'm not allowed on Schnee property because I'm not fancy enough." He was silent. She could see that he understood where this was heading, but he wasn't budging, he needed her to ask for it, for both of their sakes. "Do you think I could crash here while we sort this out?"

For a moment, his face was unreadable and that made Ruby worry. That things would be too uncomfortable for him to take her in. However, his face eventually broke into a warm small smile as he reached forward and took her shoulder in his hand, much like Pyrrha had done. "Of course, Ruby, I wouldn't leave you out on the streets."

She shook her head, the smile breaking wide as she mentally told herself she shouldn't have worried that much. Jaune was too good a guy to let that get in between his friend's wellbeing. "I know you wouldn't."

Suddenly, his eyes darted to the side, voice dropping to an awkward stutter. "…As friendly roommates, right?"

Ruby followed suit, mouth now completely dry as she turned her eyes in the opposite direction. "O-Of course. Just roommates. Like back at Beacon's dorms."

He nodded, ignoring the cute blush that dotted her cheek, finding the ugly wallpaper far more enticing. "With no other relationships attached."

She nodded, not even entertaining the thought of saying that no matter what anyone else said that Jaune rocked that tacky moustache. Such a silly thought. "Yep. Just roommates."

"Because… Because we couldn't-" They both nodded because they agreed with each other so completely with no doubts in their minds.

"Not now, not after all the revelations and stuff." Neither noticed how, with their backs turned on each other, the two slowly found themselves leaning on the other as they talked. "You were right."

"Good."

"Good."

There was silence.

There was a small cough.

There was a creak from the apartment below them.

There was nothing between them.

Ruby shot to her feet, fumbling for her scroll as she hastily rushed out "We should go call Blake now before this conversation gets any more awkward!"

Jaune clasped his hands together, marvelling at Ruby's excellent point and not the way his heart fluttered at the squeak that accompanied her stumble. "Great idea!"


	6. Warm Thoughts

"Miss, please, calm down." Blake had always been considered the emotionally restrained type. Calm, collected and the one you'd bet could keep her head clear and push her emotions aside when the situation needed it. Not easily being swayed to outbursts. However, for most people, when informed that a dear friend of yours was possibly in danger and then are barred from the notion of even going to check on them, they tend to grow increasingly nervous.

"Let me off of this thing, Ruby needs us!" The virtual freedom fighter turned corporate heiress very much felt this, her stomach churning from every fear for her faithful friend in such an uncomfortable motion that the elevator ride could barely star before she was scratching to pry open the doors. And no one could really blame her. Just half an hour prior she was seeing Ruby off on an uncertain journey across an unknown city to reunite with an ex, and just a few minutes ago a city-wide alert broke out informing everyone of a Grimm attack in the vicinity. Even before the information really set in, Blake's mind tortured her with images of Ruby, now no longer half the Huntress that conquered countless Grimm, being torn apart by a pack of beowolves.

However, her outburst following the full realization didn't get her any closer out the door and on the path to Ruby. "Your concern for your friend is admirable but running out into the streets during a Grimm attack will do no one any good." Klein was doing his best to politely sooth Blake's nerves as two security personnel kept her at bay, their hands tightly gripping her forearms with their blank expressions staring dead ahead.

In struggling against the iron grip of her staff, Blake bitterly swallowed the foul-tasting pill that she wasn't as strong as she was used to being. She had no chance of prying open an elevator door. So, immediately her eyes fell on her fellow friend in distress. "Ren, help me break the glass." She said it casually and without a hint of self-awareness of what she was suggesting.

"Bla-" In his double-take, as he processed her request, Ren stumbled over the wrong name and came to a halt, trying to regain the stoic character of 'Operator Kuriyuri' he'd assumed so far. Kuriyuri would be more dry and deadpan than surprised by the suggestion. "Miss Schnee, we're sixty floors up." He put effort into lazily pointing to the back of the elevator, the circular cell of reinforced glass that offered the every shrinking view of the streets below as the elevator shot up the skyscraper.

"And I'll jump out sixty more floors if I have to." She snaps back automatically, her brain completely set to protect mode. She needed to get to D from A and had no concern for how B and C factored in. As she attempted another lung forward towards a better position, she found herself still weak in the arms of her security team, loudly groaning "Hey, let me go!"

Klein dipped his head down and pooled his hands together in a nervous-fuelled respectful gesture. His nose, and subsequently his moustache, wriggled like he was holding back the world's most violent sneeze. "I'm sorry, but we are not allowed to let any harm befall you, even if that harm comes from your own rash decisions." Emotional fatigue tugging at her heart, Blake's body fell limp in the men's arms, conserving her energy to think of a better strategy.

Ren pushed off of the glass, assuming a pose he could only describe as 'silently looming' as he shuffled over to Blake. He didn't make eye contact with either guard, steadying his voice as he tried to make himself sound and look as casually threatening as he'd imagine a silent kill-joy who guards a rich brat to be. "Gentlemen, I can handle this just fine." He didn't see their reaction as he stared straight on ahead, acting as if their response didn't matter to him because they were so below him. Thankfully, it was enough for them to let go of Blake's arms and step to the side to give the two some room. With a silent sigh sneaked in, Ren moved in closer and leaned in slightly. "Blake, you need to be calm about this." He spoke slowly, letting his words hang longer so they could break through her panic.

Sharply, she hisses back while the other three occupants of the elevator pretend not to watch the inaudible exchange. "Calm? Calm?! Ruby's out there alone during a Grimm attack. We have to do something!"

"I'm worried as much as you are, I get it." He snapped back, a brief bout of his own fear evident in his voice, but he reeled it back as he shook his head apologetically. Their eyes ripped away to look over their 'audience', checking that their conversation was still low enough to be private. Ren stood up straighter and lightly pulled his hand against the top of Blake's back, silently signalling her to face the view over the city. Easier to hide their expressions. "But we'd only be jeopardizing our own lives trying to break out and go against Grimm. We're not Huntsman anymore. Besides, we can barely navigate the city with a map, we'd have no chance of finding her amidst the chaos."

Another sigh bit back to a low mumble. Watching, he was relieved to see Blake's gaze soften under his words. Wracking his brain for words that would make her feel more comfortable rather than just make her feel bad in different ways, he patted her back. Of course, for someone like Ren, this casual gesture came out more like an alien poking at an unknown substance that could be hazardous. "If there's anything good I've learned today is that even in the midst of all this insanity, Ruby Rose, no matter her true identity in this world, can take care of herself."

For a moment, Blake just stared him down, eyes flickering back and forth between her desire to leap out of the elevator and her duty to stay here. Eventually, her eyes focused and her frustrations broke out into a sigh. "She can, can't she?" With her energy burned out fighting her emotions, she fell limp against the glass wall, lowly chuckling to herself. "Usually I'm supposed to be the one to keep the level head while everyone else freaks out…"

Ren's brow rises with his shoulders in a shrug. "You're just worried about your friend. I'd be disturbed if you didn't freak out a little."

Blake dug her fingertips into the crinkles of her forehead, as if pushing the swirling thoughts in her mind and forcing them out through her mouth in sighs. "We've already lost so much today; I don't want to lose her too." She talked more to herself than to Ren, ending with narrowed and fierce eyes that still had a flicker of her other life's amber to them. "I don't want to lose any of you guys."

Looking to Ren she found that his hands had quickly returned to his side as he turned back to the onlooker, posture stiff and eyes staring ahead blankly. "We all feel that way. Never forget that."

Following suit, Blake returned to the pose she associated with Winter and the Weiss she used to know, a strong stance with a hint of what she assumed was grace. "She'll be okay. We'll hear from her soon. I know. I know." She muttered to herself, one last quick comfort for her mind and heart as the elevator came to a stop and the doors behind Klein pulled away to reveal another hallway. Immediately, she gave Klein a reassuring smile to compete with his comforting one as he bowed his head. With a cough disguised as clear her throat and assuming a 'hard' look, she came out with a smooth voice. "Alright, I'm good, let's distract me with boring business reports or whatever my job as heiress is."

Blake quickly found that while the streets of the city very much gave you that underwater feel, traversing the confines of the SDC complex felt more like struggling through caves carved through an icy tundra. Like an Atlas away from Atlas. The blue colour scheme here was far lighter than outside, like dry ice with sprinkles of white forming snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. The lighting itself, bright and powerful, yet as it washed over her, she could only feel the need to wrap more layers of clothing around herself to keep herself from shivering.

"I'm sure your father has plenty of boring reports to cut your teeth on." When Klein's chipper voice was punctuated with him scooping up the air with his fist, she quickly found that the man's extra gusto provided her warmth as well. However, it didn't exactly make the disgusting reminder in his words any easier to swallow.

"Oh yeah, we're meeting him… I forgot." Shoulders deflated as she imitated a slump against an invisible wall. "Joy."

Within seconds, Klein was in her face, hands rubbing together and voice boisterous. "He was ecstatic to learn of your return, Miss Schnee. He's missed your dedicated voice in board meetings, I'm told!"

Blake offered her fakest smile in return, sharply turning the corner that took the group before a large archway protecting a small door. If that wasn't a metaphor for the pressure she suddenly felt on her shoulders at the prospect of facing _him_ she didn't know what was. Approaching the door, she paused to gulp down the tension in her throat. "Ren, when we get in there, get ready to stop me in case I suddenly feel the need to vomit or punch something."

Ren came beside her, shrugging with the closest thing to an encouraging smile he could muster in the moment. "Can't be that much different from holding Nora back from her pancakes."

Before they could go any further, Klein had swerved in front of them to block their entry, nervous bullets of sweat streaking down his reddening forehead. "Please, wait here momentarily while I make sure our esteemed and charitable leader is ready to meet."

As the two watched the man retreated into the ominously dark lighting of the door, they traded weary looks and withheld sighs. "Jacques Schnee. That's a guy I hoped I'd never live to meet, let alone talk to in private." Blake moved past the doors to sit down on one of the many elaborate sea blue sofas pushed up against the wall, fingers pushing against her temple for the pain to come.

"Well, now's a fine opportunity to test your acting skills. You're going to have to hide a lot of disgust." Ren opted to stay standing, he was cold enough just looking at those crystal-esc cushions, thank you very much.

Blake glanced up towards the mirror hanging beside the sofa, watching the strange that stared back at her, gazing into those eyes that were wholly unrecognisable yet were her own. "A while back, I was an activist fighting for him to get his just deserts for the harm he's inflicted upon the world through his greed. Now, I wake up to knowing I'm part of that problem and have to kiss up to him."

Silence fell between them once more, becoming much more of a common occurrence than either were comfortable with before Ren spoke up. "You sure you're ready for this?"

Those eyes that fixated her so only offered judgment, shaming her for shaking so easily, shaming her for not being the person she supposedly always was. "I can handle a weasel-like him. It's just… It never stops hurting."

Ren clasped his hands together, pulling himself through a variety of different responses, cutting himself off with his mouth hanging open whenever he thought he decided on one. Eventually, he just shook his head and hesitantly spoke: "If he's anything like he was in the game world, you're more than smart enough to run circles around him."

She turned back to him, face faltering as she mulled over his words, before breaking into a hopeful smile and nodding. "You're right." Her smile only widened when the long-missed ring tone of her scroll buzzing in her pocket. Two pairs of eyes widened as Blake rushed to rip the scroll out into view, pulling the two sides apart to display the blue holo display. There, to the great relief of Blake's heart, was a notification listing that she had received a message from Ruby. "Wait, is that- Ruby!" Ren was leaning over her in an instant, neither trying to hide the audible glee that drowned their voices. The message was pulled up, displaying a simple 'With Jaune. Hope you two are okay.' Followed by a number of random emoji's Ruby spammed.

Ren's hand seemed to shake as he adjusted his collar with an awkward cough, fighting to regain some of the composure he'd let go during his joyful outburst. He tried to speak casually but only came out as embarrassed. "Told you, she's fine."

"Don't think I didn't see you holding your breath this entire time, Ren." Blake grinned up at him, watching him immediately turn away to hide the hint of embarrassed red on his cheeks. Shaking her head with a soft sigh, she hugged the small scroll against her chest, muttering "Thank god."

Just as she thought the worst of her day had been averted, Klein made his return, a nervous frown trailing a foreboding path behind him. Blake would have known he'd just spoken to her 'father' even if he hadn't told her by that expression alone. "Your father is ready to see you now."

She shot Klein a sympathetic look, trusting her heart that she knew this man was good enough to not deserve such nervousness, but in glancing at the scroll her eyes narrowed slightly. "My apologies, could we have a few minutes? I need to make a phone call." There was a pang of guilt at making the suggestion, knowing that Mr Schnee would probably not be too kind to the butler if he came back just to say that Blake would be a while longer.

The pleading look Klein gave her only made her feel worse. "He doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"Damn it…" She held herself back a few seconds, letting a peaceful air fill her lungs before she pushed herself to her feet, shooting Ren a confident nod as she resumed her domineering and regal stance. "Alright, let's go."

"Right this way, Miss."

Klein held the door open for the two, leading them into an oval room that seemed to toe the line between a study and a board room. The dim lighting was held at bay by the flickering fireplace in the back of the room flanked by tall bookcases, finely crafted desks and a large arch window that was currently shut from sight by thick curtains. The centre was where a large oval table capped off the room, chairs scattered around it with writing tools, files and pads strewn across its surface. If it were anywhere else, the room might have been considered quaint and cosy. However, Blake noticed something, or someone, missing. "Where is he?"

"Mr Schnee is unable to appear physically, he's currently busy with business discussions in Atlas." Already, the Butler was leaning over the table, gesturing to the small glowing circle in the centre that Blake had written off as a fluorescent light. "He will be talking to you through a holo-call." With that, the man quickly dismissed himself from the room, leaving just Ren and Blake at the mercy of the fireplace. Somehow, even with a fire crackling close by with scolding fingers reaching out to lick the air, the room still felt cold.

Before Blake, as she understood, there was a simple button push that stood between her and greeting daddy dearest. Ren had retreated to the background, leaning against the wall and waiting to offer any support she needed. She shook her head. She didn't need support, not this time, not against a spineless weasel of Jacques's calibre. With her head raised high, her eyes staring ahead with burning determination, she strode towards the table with a confident smirk and fresh venom on the tip of her tongue.

There was a swelling in her chest, of what emotion she didn't care to know. She'd had a bad day, that was for sure, with finding out her reality was a lie, to finding out she was the heiress of her worst enemy's seat of power, to watching her friends go through similar tragic revelations and to losing all the friends and family she'd made in her 'dream world'. The thoughts scratched at her heart with iron claws, but she wouldn't let an old man a wheeze away from coughing up his heart, who's hands were slick with the indirect blood of many who suffered for his greed, shake her. She would stand against Mr Schnee. She would handle him. Before she knew it her hand was raised and slammed down on the button, the projector in the centre bursting to life and bringing Papa Schnee into view.

And from the moment she first laid her eyes upon him all of her gusto was extinguished.

On the surface, it was a familiar look. The same expensive hair, the same curved stache, the frost-like skin, the suit and the slim frame were all as they had been in the other world, but somehow they differed in what they presented. His strict posture, standing tall like a pillar to hold up the room, so still that it would be easy to mistake him for a statue, somehow made the weasly build of his body accentuate a deadly elegance. A snake, to be sure, but one that would poison you rather than hide in the grass. The only slight change visually was that somehow he generally looked like he was framed by more jagged edges rather than natural smooth curves humans usually have, emphasizing his pointed cheekbones and height.

When he stared at her, his gaze was direct and shameless. Cold, icy ovals that were as thin as a snake's slit pupils, looking more like a wound in his eyeballs rather than actual eyes. They only moved to take in Ren's figure skulking behind her, but they stayed relatively still, not a hint of doubt or a second of trembling. The last time she'd see Jacques's eyes, they had been wide and twitchy, darting around as his world collapsed under the weight of his own excuses. Those were eyes that betrayed his need to please, that exuded a slime desperate to push into ever crack it can. These eyes? The only nature they displayed was one of assurance and resilience. There was pride, arrogance, oh so much arrogance, but most of all confidence. True confidence of the control he had, which his virtual counterpart lacked.

She was caught unaware by his gaze, like a silent yell in the back of her mind demanding that she give him her attention. It carried the knowledge of the power his money and his word gave him over most people, and the knowledge that he was more than willing to abuse such authority. She was powerless to turn her gaze anywhere else.

"Wither, you look well." There was no waver to his voice, no added edge that spat grease if a CEO trying desperately to placate the unamused, nor a trace of a calm façade hiding a petulant fury that would knock against his own interests if rocked.

"Father." It was the only response she was able to push out without risking her voice faltering from the confident veneer. If he saw anything odd in her delivery or saw through the façade, he didn't let on.

"As I understand, you've yet to have time to recover." His arms recede from behind his back, clamping his hands together. It almost made Blake jump as his arms blended in so well it looked as if they'd come out of nowhere, lending to the image of a deep blue snake. "So, I will try to keep this digestible. I want you back to your fullest as soon as possible." His eyes narrowed, knuckles twitching accompanied by a deep snort. "The brown nosers left to cover you leave much to be desired."

"I'm sorry to-"

Immediately, she felt the frozen embrace of his stare intensify. "Don't apologize." It washed over her in a chilling embrace, a number pain stinging at her from the inside like something cold touching a sensitive tooth. "I never do."

"Of course, it was a sarcastic remark…" Her mind bounced ideas around, rushing to find the most ice queen sounding response she could think of before he found her pause suspicious. "I wouldn't be a worthy asset if I were easy to replace?"

His gaze held for a moment before faltering to a leering smirk. The smile that only caused bile to rise in Blake's throat. "Said like a true Schnee." She had been complimented by this man, this despicable thing. Never before had she felt so dirty from what should have been a compliment. "You know, your mother worried that you'd be gone for good after the incident. Good at attracting people, but terrible at reading them that one." His voice rose with a comical sigh and a stifled roar undercutting his tone. His pride practically burned her eyes with how brightly it glowed through his voice. "Business pioneers like us find such setbacks only in need of a few months of recuperation."

However, as he continued to talk, Blake's mind took a few steps back to go back through his comment. It seemed Jacques was at least aware of why Blake was gone for months. She'd done something or experienced something bad enough to have to go into hiding for a time, but did he know what happened or where she went? That was the question she had to tread carefully if she wanted to get the answer to. "Incident?" That time there was a definite twang of hesitance in her voice, one that by the slight twitch of his eyebrows the man caught.

As if he were offering her a moment of mercy, he turned his gaze away, starting to pace around the table from her point of view. His voice dropped to a slow reassurance. Well, as much reassurance as someone like him could communicate. "Of course. I wouldn't waste words on remembering it either." He called over his shoulder, something behind him on his end seeming to catch his eye. "And aside from a few discredited naysayers, neither does the public."

Blake was ready with questions to push the conversation further, about the incident, about her part in all this, but she stopped herself. It was tempting, especially with the implications he threw out there. Almost too tempting, like he was trying to bait her curiosity. The thought began to blossom in her mind, the slither of a chance that he had an inkling of suspicion and was attempting to pull her into asking a question with an answer she should already know. With a man like this, as well as her current situation, now more than ever did she get the feeling that it was too risky to push any further. "Yes, Father." She kept her head firm as she nodded, not to stiff as to appear nervous. Thankfully, the man seemed satisfied with her reaction, returning to fully face her. "What's our… Current status?"

"Cutting straight to the point, Councillor Ironwood is determined to stagnate our operations." The venom seeping through his voice was barely concealed at even uttering Ironwood's name. Blake could feel Ren's gaze shifting at the mention, she too wondered how Ironwood changed from General to a politician. "After the Robyn Hill fiasco gave us the foothold, we had what we needed to relieve him of his military influence" From the wording, Blake gathered that she had been involved with the incident with Miss Hill, but not with the aftermath. She must have departed for her vacation soon after this. Was this the incident Jacques had teased her with earlier, the one that forced her to hide? Or perhaps they were separate incidents. ", he's been trying to garner influence outside of Atlas to sabotage the SDC's influence on the dust market."

"General Ironwood-" For a split-second, Blake worried that speaking the man's now previous rank would be suspicious, but quickly dropped into a thinking expression to smoothly transition over her pause. She was just taking it in is all. Of course, Wither Schnee would know him as General since she wasn't present for his eventual demotion. "He's still a problem?"

A subtle hiss blew through the man's gritted teeth, voice edging on a growl. "Even in disgrace, he's still a general at heart. He takes our business very personally, treats this as a war instead of a mere conflict of interest." With a wave of his hand, he dismisses his annoyance and returns to the cold calm. "He's attempting to make this a national incident, reaching out to other Kingdoms to convince them that our company shouldn't have such a grip on trading dust. If he gets his way, we'll be in for another embargo and that will only cripple everyone."

In the sea of information, Blake found a simple idea to cling to, an opportunity that didn't occur to her until now. It was tragic to hear that Ironwood, assuming he was as respectable and duty-bound as he was depicted in the game, had been pushed down so far simply for opposing the S.D.C. Wither Schnee probably had a hand in this, following in her father's footsteps and stepping down on the good people of Atlas. Klein had mentioned it himself that she had her father's favour and confidence in improving and maintaining the company's profit, profit steeped in the sweat and blood of the innocent no doubt. However, while Wither Schnee might have been Jac-Ass 2.0, the new Schnee, who explored her hidden desire to help the helpless and reform the S.D.C, could use this foothold to tear down the S.D.C from the inside and be the change she always wanted to be. "And my role in this?"

"There will soon be a council discussion on this very topic in Mistral, however, a council member is currently enjoying reprieve near you. He holds a great deal of influence. Deal with him." The vagueness was what unnerved Blake, leaving the meaning to the command up into the air whether she was expected to talk the guy down or spill his blood. For the first time in the conversation, the man fully acknowledged Ren's presence, looking over to him with a predatory smirk and gesturing to him with an open palm. "Of course, if you find that your words don't reach him, I trust that Operator Kuriyuri can 'convince' him to see the truth."

That sealed it. Blood was on the table and the S.D.C were fully up for spilling it. The mix of disgust and guilt twisted up her stomach. How could she have willingly helped with such matters in the past? Did her father really have that much of a hold on her? "Is… Is that all?"

With a click of his fingers, the sound of which was increased tenfold to give that booming effected that echoed across the room, a small holographic window stretched out before them. The display cycled through streams of data and photos that passed by too quickly for Blake to even attempt reading them. "A full report will be delivered to you shortly. I just wanted to make sure you were still the someone I trusted to handle this first, with my own eyes." It was an odd feeling. Not just to be trusted by a man like the one before her, but also to imagine him trusting anybody but himself. And the way he spoke it with such intensity, such earnest, there was almost a hint of relief in his voice. "Until then, our meeting is concluded."

"I will… Do what I can."

"Ensure that you do, Wither." His shoulders came up in sharp points, bringing his body forward as he leaned closer to Blake. From this position, his jagged and pointy frame became even more noticeable, with the lighting casting a shadow over most of his teeth, leaving two white canines that looked to have a sharp edge: like fangs. "I put a lot of faith into you as my successor. It would be greatly unfortunate for you to disappoint me now." With a moment of silence allowed for his words and their weight to land, he pulled back, offering an elegant bow before turning away. Before he pushed the button to end the call, he stopped mid-stride, casually throwing a hand up as he quickly added on one final comment. "And as a show of goodwill, I've already sent Adam ahead to tend to your needs."

"What?" Her heart stopped, gripped tightly by those words as her blood turned to ice. Even as the man's image broke into digital shards, leaving her in the shadow of the fireplace, her mind continued to stutter. "What… What… What…" Her words came out as breathless pants, gasping for any sort of air to relieve the toxic emotions choking her lungs. All at once, the memories slammed into her gut like a forceful fist. He loomed over her, his grin bore a sadistic edge and a hungry sneer, his sword was broken but still sharp, his words were silent daggers that cut away at her flesh and his eyes only burned with hatred and pain he could never hope to escape from. The vision of fire that melted away the ice of this prison lumbered towards her, not even enough of a physical form to be called a spectre, just an emotion that she could only associate with that name. He withdrew his broken sword and lunged forward, striking her in the heart and making her scream out.

She was back in the room, the fireplace simmering and the darkness compelling. Ren was by her side, completely lost on how to react to her outburst as she slumped down against the wall. "N-No. Bring him back on. Bring him back on!" She cried out to no avail. She needed answers, she needed to know why, why after saying goodbye to that terrible memory it had to be drudged back up in reality.

"Blake?" Even as Ren leaned over her, he was powerless to do anything other than speak.

"I… I need a minute." She pulled her knees up to her chest, letting her rest her chin while becoming as small as she possibly could. However, she still couldn't be as small as she felt in that moment. "Just to myself. Please." There was no argument Ren could make to that fragile and trembling voice that melted his ears. Even if he wanted to, he just couldn't bring himself to deny such a shaken plea. He gave her a nod, hoping that his eyes staring into hers more than made up for his lack of physical comfortability before he tore himself away from the scene. He didn't pay attention to his steps, the room around him quickly disappearing into the back of his mind as he steeped himself in how this all went so wrong so fast.

"Ah, is the meeting done already?" In a blink of an eye, Klein was before Ren back in the hallway, a large tray of teacups and assorted biscuits balanced precariously on his palm. His eyes did a once over on Ren, widening with worry. "Oh dear, Sir. You seem to be glum. Has something terrible occurred."

Ren mentally snapped at himself for getting distracted, taking a moment to force on a more acceptable expression as he shook his head. "Nothing. It's nothing." Both their gazes drew back to the door where Blake had yet to emerge from, a silent question posed. "Miss Schnee has asked for a moment to herself."

Puffy brows furrowed, covering up the clear worry for Blake with polite disappointment focused on the tray in his hand. "Pity. I'll have to reheat this tea for her, and it will taste absolutely dreadful." Delicately, the man strode over to the coffee table and slipped the tray down atop it. As he continued, his tone was optimistic, but it was clearly as forced as Ren's attempt to look stoic. "I don't want her to be parched when I'm showing her the improvements I've made to her room."

There was nothing that came to mind to really reply to that in Ren's view, he knew nothing about nor cared about the furnishing of a room. However, he was stopped from just declining the talking point out of not wanting to be rude to the Butler clearly trying to break the ice. After turning away from Klein and taking a deep breath, a thought came to mind. "You've known Miss Schnee for a while now."

"Since she was conning her brother out of his monthly candy bars." Ren didn't need to look at Klein to guess a wistful expression, hearing the nostalgic undertone to the man's voice as he spoke of Blake's childhood memories. "I do miss the little master." On this final line, Klein's voice was quiet. It made Ren turn and drop his façade slightly, observing the way Klein's eyes softened and teeth gritted. There was guilt on the man's face, guilt, regret and anger at someone else.

"He's not around anymore?"

Like a sleeping man suddenly wrenched from the land of dreams, Klein's head snapped to stare directly into Ren, eyes lost in a fleeting memory of a time long buried. "Whitley is in a place he can't hurt anyone anymore. After the incident, he-" His jaw stopped firmly in place, a flash of panic racing through Klein's eyes. Suddenly, more than ever, Ren felt like something had its eyes on him, scrutinizing his every action and every thought. "I… Should not have said that. My apologies."

"It's alright, Klein." And Ren genuinely meant it too despite the awkward tremble to his voice.

Klein paused, still staring at Ren as one would stare at a painting they were asked to interpret the meaning of. It seemed, rather quickly at that, Klein had found his answer. "So, there is something bugging you, Sir."

"Huh?" He could not have announced his surprise with any more obvious nervousness.

Klein chuckled at this, and Ren didn't know whether that was something to take comfort in or be disturbed by. "You've never been one to quickly forgive such recklessly held comments about matters above one's paygrade."

Caught by surprise by the inconsistency in his personality, Ren was unable to force out anything more than an "I'm not?"

The Butler nodded, approaching Ren and dipping into a swift bow. "Don't worry, Sir. I'll keep it a secret." There was a hint of mischievous cheek to Klein's voice, as if to assure Ren that this was by no means a serious matter and all in good fun.

"…Thanks?"

Klein straightened up, immediately falling back into his default submissive stance. Suddenly, it occurred to Ren that Klein might have done all that just to quickly move away from the previous subject, though Ren didn't exactly blame the man if so. "Least I can do when you do all you can to keep our fair heiress safe and sane."

"Klein, if we're keeping secrets…" As Ren started with no thought in mind, he took another good look at Klein. The age setting in on the man's wrinkled skin. The subtle droplets of sweat, ones the man never seemed to notice, from hard work trickling down his forehead. The genuine and warm smile. Ren could feel that he trusted this man. "Then can you honestly answer what you know about me?"

Those eyes flashed defensively once more as Klein stuttered. "Sir, I told you-"

Immediately, Ren cut through his words with a piercing gaze of his own, striding towards the butler. "A rehearsed story regurgitated from the PR department."

The two held a staring contest between determined eyes and eyes that were desperate to look anywhere else. Eventually, it was obvious Ren would give up and that no excuse would convince him otherwise. Klein sighed, heavily, now turning his gaze away, unable to meet Ren's own. "Sometimes, that I know of, Miss Schnee's meetings can require more than simple words. Whether it be a competitor or potential ally, sometimes a more forceful approach is needed to convince them. And sometimes they can get violent." The small huff Klein let out afterwards breathed out an extra 'Happy?' onto the end of the sentence.

However, Ren didn't dwell on the minor sass as the knowledge of his position took root in his mind. There was no denying the underlying meaning, Ren was nothing more than a glorified thug with training and a gun, acting as the bogey man to scare the S.D.C's opposition into complying with his boss's goals. If Blake wasn't minutes away from re-joining them and Klein was absent, Ren would have thrown up right there. Instead, he pushed the new layer of foreboding emotions down deep, regained a steely gaze and offered a polite nod "Our little secret, Klein."

"Of course, Sir."

* * *

"So, you're a father?" It was a simple question twisted by Blake's tone. The type of completely stumped, awestruck tone one would have when discovering impossible odds were overcome as if it was an idea that all occupants of the table could never even entertain. Jaune, a father? It was like a fish that smoked.

Jaune, squeezing into the corner of the booth, shot back "I already went through this with Ruby. Yes!"

Ren chimed in from the other side of the table, leaning over and blocking Ruby's sneaky attempts to steal an extra slice of pizza from the middle. "You. A father?" The question was repeated quietly, like a horrifying truth you had to suck up and accept.

Jaune found that he was feeling very much attacked right now. He thought things would have improved when Blake and Ruby arranged to reunite over the scroll, that just a couple of friends chilling at some random diner over a steaming plate of pizza would dull the lingering sensations of doubt this day had instilled. He was getting better, Ruby was smiling normally again, though Ren and Blake looked a little worse for wear; and yet before he could even ask what happened to them, Ruby blurted out the truth. All while giggling like the little gremlin she was, he might add. And none of them could take the matter even the least bit seriously. "Hey, don't ask like that's hard to believe." His words did not come out with any confidence, more like he was spluttering through a drink. "I mean, I was a terrible father, but…" With that reminder, his mood immediately drained, and he surrendered himself to nestling himself into the corner of his seat with a groan. "Never mind."

Watching his leader's state, eyes briefly glancing over to Blake, Ren let out a matching sigh. "I would ask what other information anyone else found, but all the answers seem depressing."

"Pretty much." Blake shrugged. Well, half shrugged as she didn't have the energy to go all the way. She'd been mostly silent and gloomy since they left the S.D.C building, only smiling when she heard Ruby's voice again, but no matter how she tried to hide it, everyone could see something dark bubbling up inside her. "It's clear by this point that the reason we went to the game was that our lives were disasters."

"Just great." Jaune's eyes found themselves more preoccupied with the ceiling, not in the mood for this continuingly dreary streak. It was like any time they found some way to cope, the world decided to up its game and unload a new dark twist onto their story.

All eyes eventually found themselves drawn to Ruby, not that she did anything to get their attention, they were just used to her having a comforting word or two to add by this point. "It's not that… Maybe…" Her attempt at a sheepish smile trembled as she wracked her brain for a weaker word to describe their situation but found little aid in her mind. "Okay, it is bad." A bitter sigh peppered her admittance, but the fire in her eyes didn't stop. Her smile, while weak and weary, was still a smile she could manage. "But think of it like this: Better to know now so we can move on rather than spend months wondering, right?"

"Ruby makes a good point." Her surprise when Ren's voice intervened to agree with her strengthened her smile, while also distracting her while he stole her slice of pizza; he'd worked up an appetite. "We've seen the worst, now we can start building up from that."

Jaune didn't seem as enthused yet, running his fingers through his hair, only to realize too late that his fingers were already slick with pizza grease. "That's my worry." He grabbed a tissue as he sighed, finding the act of rubbing his hand clean soothing in a way. The monotony distracted him from the more dire elements of their conversation. "What if this isn't the worst?"

When he felt Ruby's fingers clasp his shoulders, Jaune felt his entire body grow numb and push all boiling negativity aside. How did she do that? "Then we face it together." She spoke firmly. It wasn't a promise, it wasn't a plan, it was a statement because she wasn't letting anyone go on alone.

Blake didn't have the benefit of Ruby's comforting touch for she was too far away, she was stuck beside Jaune, leaching off of everyone's else doubts and fears as they only reminded her of what mental strife, she was already stewing in. She had not taken one bite of her food, she felt sick but was sure that if she tried to vomit there'd be nothing. It was an invisible force pouring into her gut, fired up and already bubbling. It felt like her stomach was burning, her heart ripping apart and her mind melting, everything just demanding that this scolding substance just leave her system. The further and further the conversation continued, her ears were suddenly unable to even hear everyone as the screech of _his_ sword being unsheathed played in her mind again and again. Blaring like a siren for a danger that wasn't there yet. Pushing, pushing, pushing, just begging for some kind of release. An out, an exit, anything to simmer this heat boiling up inside her. "Adam's coming."

The name itself stole all words from whatever conversation they were having, forming a looming shadow that weighed upon all their shoulders now, not just Blake's. Ruby, despite her short arms, did her best to reach over and grab Blake's hand, squeezing whatever comfort she could. "You mean… Psychotic Ex-Adam in the game world?" Blake met Ruby halfway and immediately the grip was as strong as Ruby's voice. Initially, Blake was ready to brood for a few hours, or defiantly deny the toll this was taking on her while any gestures of sympathy proved futile. But when Ruby spoke, when she grabbed Blake's hand, when she spotted the resolute stares of Jaune and Ren, it felt like a blanket wrapped around her. The blanket was warm enough to melt the ice of her father's presence, but cold enough to stave off the burning fury of Adam's impending arrival. "Oh, Blake."

It shocked Blake and, for a moment, she couldn't understand why suddenly the impact of Adam had diminished. She was silent as she mulled it over, but she had the best view of all her friends' smiling faces as they rushed to comfort her. Her _friends_. In the game, Adam had a formidable effect on her, even without being physical threat his words easily got under her skin, made her feel alone, made her feel pathetic. So, in the real world, shouldn't that effect be worse? "NPC roles were filled based upon people we know." She had the confidence to continue with her words, the fears and doubt getting weaker by the second. They gave her this confidence. "So, considering how much worse Jacques is in this world… I can't even begin to imagine how bad Adam was in reality that I used him as an abusive stalker in the virtual world."

"It doesn't matter what he is." Ruby slammed her fist on the table, sending a pizza slice flying into the air, only for it to be grabbed by her and a bite taken. Blake assumed this was supposed to punctuate her point, but Blake just found it adorable. "If he lays one finger on you, we're gonna kick his butt!"

Jaune quickly poked his head back into view, grabbing Blake's hand as well and punching his free hand into the air. "And then draw insulting images on his face in permanent marker." It was then that Blake realized she didn't know how much Jaune and Ren had been told about who Adam was to her, that he was anything beyond just a bad man who she and Yang had killed.

"Yeah!" However, as she watched Jaune and Ruby high-five to cement their determination to keep Blake safe, she knew that it wouldn't matter to them how much they knew. Team RWBY and Team JNPR had been a family. If any of them cried, they didn't need to know why just what to do to help.

"That's… Comforting." Against her better judgment, Blake found herself smiling at this. It was easier this time around to face the idea of her possible ex-lover turned violent abuser, he no longer had the same effect on her. Yes, it hadn't been real, just a simulation based off her mind, but perhaps being able to go through the situation had helped her. Not only did she gain these three as loyal friends, but she faced her insecurities and her toxic relationship with Adam, and she learned how to overcome it. The initial shock had worn off and she realized, she was stronger now and Adam would never reduce her to a shivering wreck again. If he came, she would be ready for him, with her friends standing right behind her.

For the next hour, the atmosphere gradually grew lighter, more smiles lighting up even the most cynical of lips. They didn't really talk about anything, just traded nonsense and jabs at each other. Blake had to admit, there was a sick pleasure in abusing the Schnee credit card strictly to buy an ungodly amount of cheap junk food. The pizza was decent, but it proved to create a strong divide between friends as everyone was intent on stealing everybody else's slices. For the first time since they'd arrived here, the four felt at peace with each other, content to just sit around and celebrate their friendship. Yeah, things were rough at the moment, but they still had each other and that was a bit of luck that not many other people got to keep.

Even Ren was getting caught up in the heated age-old debate of whether pizza should have pineapple slices on it or not, personally finding the idea of such a juicy fruit on pizza disgusting. However, he decided the stay out of the debate, his energy spent and the momentary calm leaving his mind to wonder. He found his gaze looking out the window, forehead leaning against the glass as he stared out into the busy street. All those people, perfectly happy, perfectly busy, perfectly content. Inside, he was with his friends, having fun, finding a nice reprieve for the day. And yet all he could think about was the person who wasn't there.

He could tell himself that she was not real, chant it until his vocal cords snapped and he was left with nothing but sign language, but he couldn't forget her. He missed her. He missed her boisterous laugh that threatened his eardrum, he missed her insistence of making the room shake with every step she took, he missed her sometimes annoyingly quirky moments of random quips and even the mess she'd leave in her wake.

It felt like someone close to him dying, like he was back before his father feeling that disappointment at his inability to act before everything went to hell. Things were left unsaid, things that should have been said. He knew it was a false memory, something artificial projected onto him, but he wanted one more chance. A chance to do things right, a chance to be as open as he should have been and tell her the words she'd been dying to hear. Under his gaze, he could see the image of her moving through the crowd, taunting him with the moments he could never revisit. What had been the word Nora used to describe him to herself when she thought he couldn't hear her? Distant. Even when they comforted one another, she was the one laying out her emotions and feelings, but he was forever keeping them locked in his heart. He treated her like he did everyone else who died, who no longer existed for them, he never showed his appreciation or that they were worth getting emotional over. And that knowledge hurt him more than knowing his life was a lie.

"Something up, Ren?" Jaune pulled him out of his thoughts, fixing the man with a soft smile.

"Nothing. Nothing." Ren shook his head, returning a weak smile, but an appreciative one none the less. Perhaps now he had time to at least make things right with the friends he still had. He failed Nora, but he still had a chance to get his act together, even if it took him the rest of his life. With this goal in mind, Ren reached out to pat Jaune on the shoulder with a stronger attempt at a smile this time. Briefly, he glanced back out the window to say his goodbyes to his mind's images of Nora.

At least, it was supposed to be brief.

When he looked through the glass once more, his eyes were immediately drawn to the centre of the crowd. The sight itself made him question reality for a moment. In the muddy colouring of the crowd, her bright orange hair stood out like a fire in the darkness. For a brief second, her face came into view as she passed through the gaps of people. He could have dismissed it as just memory, but the image before him was different from the Nora he knew, yet just similar enough to make his heart stop and his curiosity override all logical reasoning.

"Just… Give me a second, please." Before he could stall himself with questions and inconsistencies, Ren bolted out of his seat and quickly shoved Ruby into her own by accident when he rushed past her. Within seconds, he was bursting through the front door and jumping into the depressing blue hue of the street. In the corner of his eye, he caught her figuring disappearing around the corner of the block, beckoning to him at the edge of his vision. He couldn't think, could speak, all he could do was huff as he launched himself into an all-out sprint, dodging between the passing people like he was being chased.

Every moment passed slapped his heart upside the head with panic and grief, as ever second some passed by his vision and for that split second her image would be blocked from him. Still, he powered on, jumping up and weaving around confused citizens just to get a glimpse at her as she moved, only seeing her from the torso up from behind. However, it seemed to further he got, the more people got in the way, flooding his vision until his split-second glances were reduced to milliseconds. It was like he was caught in a river of people, constantly fighting up the stream and going back a little further each time. He had to find her, he had to see her, just one more time, one more time.

Suddenly, he broke through the crowd, the street ahead clear of people. But to his dismay, it was clear of Nora to. His jaw hung limp as his eyes darted around the mostly empty street, not anything orange in sight, as if the wind itself cleared away the area a moment before he turned the corner. That is, if she was really there in the first place. "It was just a figment of my imagination." Ren spat out through gritted teeth, his failure dragging his eyes down to meet the floor. "Don't be stupid, Ren. She's not real anymore." His hands shook, his eyes tried to force out tears that just refused to come, all while his logic finally kicked back in and slapped him for being so hasty and reckless. "Your Nora wasn't real. You will never see her again. Never. Never… Never…"

"You okay, Ren?" He was back in the diner, everyone's eyes looking up at him as he stood over the table, head hung low and dishevelled. Jaune repeated his question, not wanting to ask Ren why the man left so suddenly until Ren was comfortable with telling.

"I'm fine."

"Ren…" He tried again, face wincing at his friend's denial. His friend needed help and he felt utterly powerless.

"I'm fine." It was barely a whisper, Ren now leaning against the table for support while he lamented losing sight of the obvious.

Jaune didn't know what to do, all words that came to mind immediately being shot down by his heart. All he could do was keep the offer open and remind Ren he wasn't alone. He looked to Blake for help, knowing she'd spent more time with Ren today and probably knew more about his mental state before coming to the diner. She nodded and gave a reassuring smile as she stood up to stand on an even level with Ren. "Just know you can talk to us about this."

"It's appreciated, Blake." His words were thankful, but his ever-whiting knuckles gripping the table only became tighter. Shame dominated his voice overall, at his actions and for making the group worry about him. "Don't worry, it's trivial compared to your predicament with the return of a possible abuser."

The meaning behind those words rang all too familiar for Blake, even for a moment, she could imagine herself saying something similar about herself. The shame, the guilt, the self-insulting thoughts that must be going through his mind; she knew them well. "You know, in the simulation, I found that I spent a lot of time letting myself hurt inside just because I knew that there were people around me that had it worse." She spoke quietly, focusing the sound on making sure Ren felt the personal nature of the information she was telling him. Thankfully, she could see he was listening as his eyes wandered over to her, nodding at their common ground. "It's a toxic mindset that does no one any good. You're allowed to have pain, even if someone has a worse pain, just like you're allowed to be happy even if someone else is happier."

He didn't make any obvious expression, nor did he really move for a few seconds there. He just stood in total silence, mulling over her words. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to have come to a conclusion on what he thought of her words, but he still hesitantly smiled at her. She'd helped, even if it was only a little. "I appreciate it, Blake. But really, it's nothing."

"Just making sure you know." She replied just as quietly before returning to her seat, Ren doing the same with a Ruby who was far more intent on giving him her food.

Blake and Jaune's eyes met for a moment and that silent gaze told the story of a hundred thank you notes from Jaune before he shifted to quickly change the topic. "So, what now?" He stretched out his arms with a slight groan lingering on his tongue. "We've found our homes, faced our old lives and depression binged an unhealthy amount of pizza."

"We still need to accumulate to our new lives, the best thing to do is to start seeking security." Ren pushed himself back into the groove of things rather quickly, but Jaune didn't push it, knowing that some people found comfort and focus in arranging variables. "Me and Blake are set for housing, but you two can't live in the Open Lotus without a source of income."

"Actually, I think I have something for that." He could hear Ruby giggling at the amount of pride in Jaune's smile saying that. With his group, it was an achievement to have found a solution first or thought ahead for once. "Me and Ruby went through my apartment, turns out I kept some really organized folders about my own details in prep for the simulation." On cue, Ruby presented the table with some old-looking notes books that seemed to be comprised entirely of scribbles. "Logged into my e-mail and, aside from spam, I have recent e-mail about me returning to a job after my 'extended vacation'. Apparently, I worked at the academy here, Sanctuary."

Ren stroked his chin, thoughtfully. "How's the salary?"

This prompted Jaune to revert to 'nervous dork' mode as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I have no idea… The E-mail didn't really imply what my job was."

A long, loud slurp drew everyone's attention. To everyone's surprise, it was Blake finishing off her drink with a quiet gasp as she noted people's surprise. Quickly recovering, she added, "Considering how long you were allowed to be absent; I doubt your position was that important."

Jaune shrugged, his smile breaking through the awkwardness. "A job's a job."

"And Ruby? You have anything on your old self?" Ren quickly shifted their gazes to the small spitfire finishing off the pizza.

"Not really," She partly laughed, partly squealed, already feeling like the odd one out yet again for not being secure like them. For her own sake more than theirs, she pumped her fist into the air triumphantly "but I'm sure I can go on a job hunt! Can't be that hard, can it?"

"When you don't know your own job history to put on a resume, it's a bit more difficult."

Ruby's fist pump fizzles into a slumped frown and a mocking glare, quietly whining "It's a start at least." However, this slump didn't last for long as she gazed upon the middling reactions of her friends. Their smiles, their laughs and their looks of bemusement. It inspired a few extra words out of her mouth. "Okay, I'll admit this: This day has not been good. Some might say it's one of the worst days in our lives that we remember." She had to fight to reel them back in as she noted their rather confused expressions at her pep talk. "However, I know we can get through this. No, we're going to get through this." As she continued, she snatched up her milkshake, pushed herself to her feet and rested one foot on the table which made her just taller than everyone else from their sitting positions. "So, with this toast, I want you guys to know that no matter the past, I'm sticking with you all through thick and thin. Today, we start our new lives, whatever hardship that entails." Her voice rose into a triumphant roar as she held the drink over the three, swelling with the beat of her heart as her emotions thrived with determination. And in the heat of the moment, only a few more words came to mind, words from her late virtual mother. "We have to keep moving forward."

"To moving forward." They repeated, trying out the phrase themselves awkwardly as they fiddled to get a glass to raise.

Then, in unison, they held up their drinks, looked each other in the eye and said with as much gusto as they could manage "To moving forward!"


	7. Cold Shoulder

The phrase 'Keep moving forward' had been kept at the front of Blake's mind for about an hour now. A phrase that earlier had been one of moral support in the face of intimidating tragedy had now been turned into a rhythmic slogan. One that pounded on the tip of her tongue with urgings to tide over her boredom a few moments more, a few extra seconds pushing against the pressure of monotony of the screen before her.

She didn't know when she started up her console, nor how long she'd been sifting through the meticulously organized flood of folders. She only knew that she must keep moving forward until either her attention span collapses in on itself, or she struck one nugget of relevant information. Or hell, just information that sparked one iota of interest and didn't make her eyes glaze over. A catchy headline, a familiar face, an embezzling employee; she'd even take a financial report where one number was a decimal point out of line. Something to prove that her efforts weren't fruitless.

Springboarding off her conversation from the night before, Blake was dead set on clearing up more of the mist surrounding her life. Naturally, if she were to uphold the duties of Willow Schnee, she needed to build a better profile of who Willow was and how she could best keep up the façade of the status quo, at least until she was in a better position. She was the ruthless heir to the SDC who had apparently overseen several big operations, her fingerprints should be on hundreds of SDC data. And yet, after hours of searching, she saw no trace she even existed. No involvement, no reports, not one mention of the heiress prior to her vacation. That was impossible, right? She asked herself. There had to be a mention of her.

Nothing brought such swift and painful frustration as much as the flashing window pop up, always accompanied by an obnoxious sound effect, that informed her she needed administrator credentials to open a file. In one way, it meant that she could quickly write off the other files in the folder as locked as well, decreasing her workload with ease, but she found it difficult to see the silver lining. Perhaps she was just feeling pessimistic with the impending arrival of Adam, but the computer before her only seemed more intimidating and overwhelming with every reminder of that prompt. She could do nothing to access this information, she neither had the experience, rank, or trust to do so. She was the Heiress, she was supposed to be strong, confident, and intelligent. She should be the second most important thing in this company, control, and money at her fingertips; but she was powerless.

That what it was, a way to knock her back down. No matter how much she learned, how much she knew, she was reminded she'd never be the person she once was. The reality was that she wasn't Wither Schnee, Heiress to the SDC. She was a nobody putting on a wig and wearing a shiny badge. Sure, once in her life she went by that name, once in her life she was sure she was raised to be the perfect replacement for dear old dad, but what was she now? An identity has a history that's been lived, a name that's known, a list of hobbies and interests. All she knew was Blake Belladonna. Without any semblance of connection to her old life, how could she call herself anything but a phony?

Perhaps that was what such an heiress really was, a façade. A position to be filled to give the appearance of control and respect, when in reality she had no real power to offer. A puppet to fulfill Jacques's will and vision while getting a pat on the head to tell her that the adults will be handling all of the hard work.

Blake was tempted to take out her frustration on the cool glass of water that stood atop her desk, but she couldn't bring herself to sweep the fragile cup off the desk even in her rage. Unwilling to carry out her raging turmoil through force, she could only curl up in her chair, bringing her knees up to her chest, and let out a sob. A silent sob. Even if the room was as empty as she felt, there was still that ever-present sensation of shame gnawing at her senses, ashamed at being in such a pathetic position.

Yang wouldn't have approved of the moping. She couldn't remember one iota of Wither Schnee's reign of ambition, but Blake could recall those treasured moments with her dear friend with almost crystal-like clarity. It was back in Beacon, shortly before the Vital Festival. _"Do you have like a schedule for brooding or something?"_ The soft, yet jovial voice still called out strong in her heart. Blake could picture Yang behind her, leaning on the doorframe with a hesitant smirk, waiting to know if she should affirm to Blake that she's joking. _"'cus I swear it's always noon on a Saturday that I find you right here, your A-Class Literature cast aside and your eyes trying to burn down the wall."_

Blake didn't remember what she had been brooding about that day, just that something had been stewing in her stomach after the Breach, something she couldn't let go of. Perhaps it was a reflection on her relationship with Adam, or maybe regrets over leaving her parents, or maybe… Well, there were many things for Blake to regret, too many mistakes and callous actions to name. The conversation remained a blur in her memory. Blake remained adamant that she wanted to be alone, there was some back and forth about Yang's terrible puns, guilt expressed, and somebody started loudly chewing in the middle of it. No, the conversation itself wasn't the important thing for the most part at least. No, as Blake thought back to it, the images came much clearer than the words. When Yang was serious, she had this sort of calm intensity in her eyes, one that Blake never could stop staring into, trying to decipher the root of it all. Adam has a similar look, a similar passion to his speech that reminded one how much he cared, used to care; but his passion had long since been replaced by his hatred. She didn't know when his eyes changed, but eventually, he lost that drive to help and found a need to hurt and it bled into his stare.

What mattered was Yang, just being there, her brows slanted in a casual arch, yet still focused on what Blake quipped about. Her fire-tipped tongue was always ready with a rebuttal. Sometimes, Blake wondered if Yang had an entire script of tangents and distracting topics to help calm her friends at a moment's notice. " _Could have done better._ " Blake remembered herself uttering in the midst of the scene. " _Should have done better. I failed, again._ "

_"Yeah, because you're the only person in history who's failed."_

_"I keep failing, I keep screwing everything up."_ It was bigger than their conversation, so many people she'd let down, so many situations where she simply couldn't measure up to the threat, to the problem. You always get told that if you just try your best, you'd eventually get better, you'd find success just out of sheer odds. But what if you didn't get better? What if you constantly tried, tried hard, poured your blood, sweat, and tears into pushing yourself, and yet you never budged an inch? Ruby improved her hand-to-hand and social interaction, Weiss developed her summoning and softened up on her icy exterior, even Yang eventually produced progress on her anger and abandonment issues. Yet here Blake sat, whether it was at Beacon, at Haven or even here, still stick, still the same, never changing.

 _"Sounds rough."_ Yang has expressed with a simple shrug after a straight minute of silence, slumping down and plopping herself on the bed next to Blake. She tapped the edge of her chin with a thoughtful toss of her hair. _"I told you about my dad before, how he took the death of Super-Mom Summer Rose."_ It wasn't the best Segway in history, but it certainly made Blake raise a brow that day. _"He shut down, went into this really self-aggressive phase. He tried to take Summer's place, I think, do the things she'd usually do to try and make it feel like she was still there. And you know what?"_ She clapped her hands together. _"He utterly failed at it, so much."_ There was a short chuckle, but Blake didn't see the humor in it at the time _. "The mad man forced us to suffer under his terrible singing every night before bedtime to try and 'lull' us to sleep. Even took lessons, if you'd believe it. But,"_ She leaned back, golden curls splayed across the bedpost. _"it never really stuck, you know? He always sounded like a Beowolf on helium. And he… He hated that."_

 _"He'd practice outside in the mornings, thinking he was quiet, but we could hear him from our beds. He'd break out into one low note, only to interrupt it with a quiet, but violent swear. It got to him, left him punching trees out of frustration. Then one day he just stopped. Stopped everything. He turned off, as I mentioned."_ Her eyes didn't betray the pangs of pain that resonated in her voice as she recalled the memory. _"He gave up, the most we could get out of him was ramblings about never being able to do anything right."_ There was a slight incline of her head that Blake took as a gesture of 'sound like someone you know?'.

"Okay, I'll bite." Blake let out a sigh, crossing her arms and pulling her legs up onto the bed. "How did he get better?"

" _Not entirely sure, mind you, just that one day he seemed to return from his funk and life continued."_ That cheeky grin returned as Blake's glare bore into her. _"All he told me was the one thought he had by the end of it…"_

Yang puffed out her generous chest and attempted a raspy gaunt voice that sounded more like a boy on the verge of puberty than a man. _"The world isn't always gonna set you up for success, and not everything you want to achieve is gonna be completely on you. However, there's only so much time you can complain about what you can't do before the world tells you to shut up and think about what you can do in a different way."_

"Well, that mantra just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?" Blake never realized how deadpan she could sound until she looked back on the moment herself, like every word was overtaken by a stifled groan.

 _"Guess it is a little wordy."_ She poked her cheek, swaying her chin gently in a childish manner similar to a confused Ruby. _"I prefer to think of it as: 'I'd rather fail despite it all than fail because I chose to'."_

_Giving up is a choice. Failure is a given._

Yang didn't exist. No, that was wrong, she existed, just in a different sense. She didn't exist as a person, not in this world of apathetic depravity. The true Yang, someone who shined so bright even in her anger, would not belong in such a world, only washed away by the oppressive downpour. She was pixels, a string of code-based off Blake's need for an uplifting spirit and Ruby's need for a loving sister. And yet that voice, whether obnoxiously loud or spitting stupid puns, it still resonated with Blake. Her words stuck with the woman, wrapping around her like a quilt and warming her heart. They felt so real. Not words read off a script, but real.

And somehow, she wasn't ashamed to know that. "Thanks, Yang." She muttered under her breath, stretching out her fingertips before pulling herself back towards the computer screen, determination brimming as a gleam in her eye. If she couldn't step into her role as the original Wither Schnee then she'd just have to redefine Wither for herself. "Keep moving forward, ey?"

Two hours later, the routine had returned with a vengeance with the annoying pop-up chime determined to become the chorus of Blake's night terrors. If Blake were any less observant, she might have been privy to write it off as just more disappointment, but the neurons in the back of her head flared every few clicks. Her brain hadn't fully caught up yet, but her subconscious had found something odd. Many of the files were locked, pretty standard by this point, but soon enough she started to note exactly what the 'permissions' of the files were saying. She hadn't focused on it before, but it wasn't just 'admin access', it was varying levels of access. Most of them were commonly labeled with level 3 access, but some had a noticeably different level, level 5 to be specific. It didn't sound suspicious on its own, such systems made sense since every employee could access this database. However, what stuck out was the naming pattern, every file that was level 5 started off with the same initials, 'KP', followed by seemingly random letters and a shortened date.

"KP?" Blake muttered under her breath, the two letters leaving a cold taste on the tip of her tongue, as if just speaking them stole away a fraction of her heat. _KP could mean anything, and yet…_ Deep down within herself, she could feel it, there was something in her bones, her very soul that shook under the letters. Somewhere within herself, she had the answers, yet she did not know where. Had her own mind turned against her now? Her eyes squeezed together, shutting out the surrounding world and pushing her into the dark layers of her mind. She was a lone spec in a sea of fluctuating emotions, weightless and yet dragged down into the abyss. She tried to push against the invisible force, with nothing but her own willpower and curiosity to give her momentum. The more she pushed, the more effort she exerted, the more her mind space quivered as if her very movements were strong enough to cause an earthquake.

It was then that she felt it, a cold touch. Not the touch of the late-night chill, nor the scratch of cold liquids dripping down her fingers. It was a fog of negativity, thoughts of powerful doubt pressing against her back, sliding sharpened claws made from her darkest fear down her cheek. Something was there, in her mind with her, bounding her arms with little resistance. She floated aimlessly in that space, eyes wide and unable to move. She couldn't move. She couldn't move! Not her arms, not her eyes, not even her lungs could part to breathe. It was as if with but one touch, the chill had become an insidious virus, spreading through her veins, and forming blue crystals of ice around her nerves. She was forced to gaze upwards where the sky itself tore itself apart, flooding the abyss with a blazing light she had no choice but to stare into, no matter the pain.

From the light immerged a shape, equine in nature, galloping on nothing as it approached. The light seemed to follow it- No, the horse-like creature was the source of the light, trampling through her mind with little resistance with what she could only describe as grace. It was beautiful, that was the only way she could describe the view. It burned her eyes with its beauty, made them weep softly at the majesty of the horse's stride, feel the pressure of such inhuman passion clamping down on her throat. She needed to breathe, but her frozen body could only focus on the creature. Stare at it until the white was the only color her mind could process, until her body begged, pleaded for her to look away.

She could not.

She could never.

She could only watch.

She could only weep.

She could only feel her body lose the will to breathe.

She could only give in and drag her down.

Drag her down under the water, where the light touched nothing.

SCRASH!

Golden eyes flickered against ice blue as Blake's body collapsed against the desk, with her hands desperately clinging to the arms of her chair being the only thing stopping her from completely crashing through the desk. "W-what… What…" Her head tilted to the right to see the shattered remains of her water glass decorating the carpet, it's final cry upon its demise still ringing in her ear. She noted immediately when her head turned that cold sweat was shaken from her chin, her forehead, her everything with the momentum of the turn. "I'm still here… I'm still here." She repeated under her breath, before pausing. "Am I?" Where that question came from so suddenly, she did not know, could not know. "I have to be, don't I? Dumb question, Blake. Dumb questions. Why are you asking dumb questions? Why are you shaken? That was just a weird… Sleep-deprived… Hallucination. Right? Right." Her voice, shaking as she took a moment to catch her breath, wasn't that convincing.

The timing of that episode had been a bit convenient. Okay, very convenient. Too convenient. Just when she had come to a realization about the files. Maybe a flicker of her memories were breaking through, something acknowledging what she learned. _That would be a charitable interpretation_ She mused to herself. If she'd learned anything since stepping out of that pod, it was that it was safe to assume the worst in this world, and so far the worst answer that trickled down her spine was simple: She found something she wasn't supposed to.

Again, all the oddities marched into view once more, glowing brighter than ever and demanding her curiosity no matter how much she yearned for peace. This entire situation has been one suspicious set of circumstance after another, entering such a dangerous and memory damaging simulation with two strangers who have no connection to her, the complete absence of details leading up to her 'vacation', Jacques's secretive behavior about events she should presumably already know about and all the data that she can't access despite being an important member of the company. No, the fact that she had suddenly had a first-time episode screaming at her to not seek answers the moment she starts to figure something out? Any possibility she ran through spelled out trouble.

Immediately, she felt unsafe, reminded of how vulnerable she was in this world, sitting in the middle of someone else's building with nothing to protect herself. Something was going on, and someone, either her own fears or maybe the mustached man himself, was trying to cover it up. So many questions, so many possibilities, so many little paranoid thoughts eating away at her. Could her episode have been his semblance? Does he have one? Could he see her going through the files? Was he watching her right now? Maybe the room was bugged. Maybe she should make a run for it now. Maybe she was just crazy.

But all of that was consumed by one emotion: Rage. Rage, spite, anger, all burning up like a quaking volcano and grounding Blake in the moment. She didn't know what was going, she didn't know if she should be looking into it or not, she didn't even know if this was anything more than her desperately seeking an outlet where no problem exists. What she did know was that she was pissed, and she was going to get to the bottom of this.

"Giving up is a choice. Failure is a given."

* * *

Ren wasn't one to pry into matters that didn't concern him. If school girls loudly gossiped beside him, he'd turn away and tune them out. If two feral looking adults looked like they were getting ready for an explosive throwdown, he'd find the nearest corner to sit in. Even if a friend looked bothered but wouldn't divulge what irked them so, he'd still pass up on the opportunity to press; people had a right to not tell him what they didn't want him to hear, even if he was concerned. And he respected that, always did. No need to investigate, no need for his curiosity to linger, no need for him to strain his brain with ample speculation. It just so happened that there was never a moment where Nora wasn't open about her feelings.

Ruby, on the other hand, followed the exact opposite end of the spectrum. When something was bothering her, she didn't get it off her chest, she didn't go find someone to talk to, she just let it stew in the pit of her stomach. Ren knew this because, despite her best efforts to contain her frustration, she was absolutely terrible at hiding anything.

She stood mere inches away from him, dragging her right foot along as she tried to keep pace with the slow plodding of her fellow street dwellers. Her shoulders worked overtime to dodge her small form in between the collision paths of the ignorant and careless masses, making it difficult to catch a glimpse of her face from in front, but one glance was all Ren needed to get curious. Her eyes were scrunched up, wrinkling her brow as she squeezed them together, a silent grunt of effort going unsaid.

He theorized that the nerves were getting to her, the ever-present panic of job hunting. Ever since the two took off on foot to find what source of income would suit Ruby, he often questioned if she could handle a job interview. She was awkward enough with normal people, towards her friends she wasn't entirely comfortable and authority? Ruby never seemed to get along well with authority, very much being set in her ways, when she thinks she's right, she charges ahead with that idea and offer very little breathing room for what she perceives as wrong. Whether it be a philosophical debate on the nature of their mission or trying to weasel her way out of doing chores.

Again, Ren never liked to pry into other people's affairs, but he couldn't deny that there was a certain intensity to her dulled eyes that caught him. An edge of serious thought bubbling up below whatever words Ruby was struggling to verbalize. For a moment, he considered maybe speaking out to change the topic, give her time to figure it out while avoiding an awkward silence. Alas, it was at that time she decided to speak her mind in one, clear, loud, and decisive voice.

"Do you like cookies?"

There was a pause between them, drawn out a second enough to be awkward as Ren listened to the trembling corner of his lips. Was it a hopeless smile growing or just an expression confused? It was how earnest she sounded that struck him, with that wide-eyed stare and twisted upper lip of a schoolgirl waiting for everything to blow up in her face. He'd seen that same look in her eye in the midst of combat, seconds before making a decisive call that would somehow save the day.

"Huh?" Was all he could splutter out for the moment. He thought he was ready for listening to odd answers in his group of friends, Nora had made it her mission to come up with at least one odd catchphrase a day, but she never spoke with such conviction in her hijinks.

"They sure are tasty, aren't they?" He noted that her fingers squeezed together so tightly he could see the whites of her knuckles. Without a moment to let him answer, she hopped onto her other foot, leaning past Ren as the next strategy came to mind. "What about weapons? They turn into other weapons! That's awesome!"

The only thing that was keeping all the tension in Ren's questioning thoughts was his finger pinching the skin of his forehead into a tiny clump, like the seams of his brain being held together like loose paper. "Ruby…"

Another jump and she swerved away, careful to avoid putting pressure on her bad leg, arms thrown out in a dramatic mimicry of a big bang. Naturally, none of the passers-by so much as glanced at the odd actions of the girl, still invisible to their eyes. "And do you ever listen to the sound an explosive round makes when it hits JUST right?" A sharp wheeze of an awkward teen who'd ran out of ideas, wiping the sweat off her brow. Whether it was to emphasize her point or just from the effort of her little theatrics, Ren didn't try to answer. "Phenomenal."

When it was clear she was at the end of her rope, and when her nervous smile stretched the very limits of her cheekbones in the effort to outdo creepy dolls, Ren found the words to question. "Ruby, what are you doing?"

In an instant her energy dissipated, her eyes squeezed shut, her mouth wobbled and her shoulders deflated, hanging her head in a low hunch. "I have no idea how to carry a conversation with you."

He blinked twice before it set in, a frown naturally brewing underneath. Was that an insult? What did he do? "Why? Is something wrong?"

Immediately, her head was shaking and her arms were limply springing up like they'd lost all their bones. "No, no!" Ren's hand reached down to grasp her shoulder, holding her in place as she turned sharply off-balance in her panic. Her fingers landed on her flushing cheeks while her eyes met the ground. "It's just, we've never really talked much."

A furrowed brow and a small snort broke out from Ren. "You're being a bit over the top there, Ruby. We've spoken plenty of times." He didn't even need to mull it over, confidently pointing a bony finger towards Ruby. "You haven't already forgotten our debate on the latest episode of the 'Dreary Hour', have you? It was the night before we went on our last fatal mission."

And immediately, Ruby pushed the prideful finger down with a quirked brow. "Pretty sure that was Blake. I've literally never seen an episode of that show."

He opened his mouth to protest her faulty memory only to hear the biting commentary on Blake's particular distaste for a character zip by his ear, as if his brain couldn't keep up with his own assuredness. "Well… You should, it's a good one." Idly, his fingers clicked together repeatedly, sounding like a clock struggling to move onto the next tick. His other hand dug into the base of his shirt, tugging on keywords scattered across his mind. His shirt, shirt, chest, over chest, jacket- No, apron. Apron! "What about-"

"Nope, Yang." Ruby seemed to bounce up on the back of her healthy foot, slowly swaying with the hint of an amused smile creasing into her cheeks.

Ren simply crossed his arms at the sudden status switch, with him now the unsure awkward teen while she slowly gained a foothold in her own confidence. "There was no way you could have possibly known what I was-"

On her tiptoes she pushed off of to reach Ren's shoulder, pushing herself higher and higher with every successful retort; her grin now blazing hot. "You were trying to teach her how to cook, but she ended up destroying the kitchen after her hair got caught in the mixer." At Ren's utter dismay communicated solely through incredulous blinks, Ruby leaned back and stuck up a condescending finger in the upright wagging position. "Me and Nora spent, like, hours cleaning that up."

Ren thereby rescinded his protests and sank into a limb stroll as the two picked up the pace once more. "Huh… Guess you're right." He had to admit, it was a fact that made him feel guilty. RWBY, JNPR, Ace-Ops, they were all friends in his mind and he'd spent more time in the company of Ruby as Team RNJR than he'd even spent with JNPR. Did he really never engage with his secondary team leader for anything outside of battle strategy? She'd been responsible for pulling them through so many skirmishes (which still counted even if it turned out to all be virtual), so many points of insurmountable odds, even through their lowest moments where it felt like the world was crashing down on them. The least she deserved was for him to make a better effort to get to know her. "Well, no time like the present, as they say." He collected himself, speaking without any hint to betray the shame coating his heart as he spoke. Ren would make the effort now.

Of course, despite the promise, it all came back to the long, drawn out silence as the two struggled against the ultimate foe: a conversation topic. In such a difficult time, Ruby once more proved herself to be the fearless leader by taking the first step again in spearheading this delicate situation of friendship. "So… What's 'The Dreary Hour'?"

"Oh, it's great." In a sea of confusion, Ruby cast out a lifeboat and Ren gripped onto it for dear life with a new surge of passion. "It's like an anthology of different off-the-wall concepts. Like, one episode is 'What if gravity stopped working?', or 'What if Grimm started talking?' or 'What if your pocket had an infinite amount of space?'." Luckily enough, it seemed he managed to explain his hobby well enough, Ruby's eyes narrowing into natural focus, hanging onto his word, and showing genuine interest in the show. He'd tried talking about it with Nora once, but she never could carry the conversation without walking into a different subject due, brain one step ahead of everyone on a rush of pancakes and syrup.

"Didn't Robyn Hill's friend do that?" She was poking under her chin now, pushing her head back to look skyward, memories stretching over the dark blue canvas above.

Ren admitted that he hardly knew the specifics of The Happy Huntress's, only vaguely recalling their images on a news screen during election night. He would have found it hard to miss the armed outlaws acting as guards for the event, but he had been occupied with a sudden case of 'Personal Display of Affection'. A messy night overall. "Which one, the large one with the defined nose?" It was the only image that stuck with him. As he recalled, Weiss had gone on a scathing rant about a relative of hers. Something Mary Old.

"No, no. The little goat girl." For further demonstration, Ruby held her hand out flat, shrinking the height of the imaginary individual while her other hand wiggled her fingers behind her ears. A gesture Ren was sure would be considered offensive towards Goat Faunus.

"Huh, I didn't know that." The nature of semblances had always been a slot machine of oddities for Ren, some would be relatively mundane while others would border on unbelievable magic. The output of one's soul could range to such bizarre concepts that it muddied the lines between fiction and fantasy, shaking Ren with more questions than he ever wanted to be settled with, especially when Salem came into the picture.

While Ren was drifting through thoughts, Ruby had thrown her arms out wide, lips stretched wide as she continued with her feverish descriptions. "Yeah, apparently she sucked up a whole truck once. I have no idea how it works, but it sounds so cool!" With a slight smirk, Ren thought to add how that could be used to describe most semblances, where mechanics were more of a guessing game than an absolute science. He wouldn't have been surprised to find out his semblance did far more than hide from Grimm. Huh. He hadn't thought about it until then, about his semblance. That was his semblance in the game, but did he still have such a thing in reality? Did he have the same semblance? How could he tell if he didn't know what he had?

He kept up the joking exterior as his mind glanced elsewhere, raising one judgmental brow as he looked over at Ruby. "If she wasn't basically a domestic terrorist, right?"

As Ruby sunk into a nervous solo huddle, a quivering laugh forcing itself to be heard, Ren tried to focus himself. Before, when everything was 'normal' he didn't have a hard time triggering his semblance. It was a matter of focusing on his target and letting his calmness spread outwards, wrapping whoever in a quilt of dulled colors and silenced passion. "Uh, yeah. Of course." Ruby's response was the only thing Ren heard. No subdued pop in his ears that he associated with his semblance, no shift in his vision, no leak in his heart; his semblance was lost to him.

"Wish I could do that, is all." With his focus brought back to Ruby, he noted the sudden frown as her shoulders sunk. She rasped her knuckles against her thigh in discontent, but even that soft gesture drew a sharp grimace of pain from her tear ducts. "Wish I could do anything better than this, really."

Ren hesitated, but his fingers found their way onto Ruby's shoulders, giving a comforting squeeze. It was the most basic form of comfort he knew and, thankfully, it seemed to calm her nerves and numb the pain, if even only a little bit. "How can one do better than you, Ruby?"

Her breath whistled as she drew air through her chipped front tooth, as if she couldn't even afford the effort of sighing. "Having a working leg would be a good start." She shrugged, a harsh edge to her voice as her head snapped away from view. He could practically hear the gritting of her teeth even though the quiet volume of her distress. "I don't need my superspeed back, but I'd like to go more than ten steps without being slapped over the head with how weak I am."

"You're not weak." He spoke with hesitation, without missing a second; it had been the most confident statement he'd made all week. However, it was not convincing enough for Ruby.

"That right? Because I feel pretty weak." Her chin made circles in the air, curving with the momentum of her head bobbing at a sullen pace. In idle grouchiness, her foot attempted to kick away a crushed soup can on the drowsy street path, only managing to send the can a brisk few inches. "I couldn't make a Beowolf look twice."

Ren found it in him to roll his eyes at the choice of description. "You know, most normal people would find it best to flee from monsters."

"I'm not normal people." There was a harsh crack in her voice complimented by an audible choke. "At least, I wasn't supposed to be." A pause let her eyes squeeze shut, another embarrassed groan following. "I didn't mean to sound like… Gah, forget it." She drew her hand across her beet red cheeks, wiping away the cold sweat like it was rainwater stinging her eyes. "It's just, I liked being a hero, a leader. Someone people could rely on. I could run faster than a speeding bullet, leapfrog off of Grimm most people would wet themselves over and even flash a cheeky silver eye to show off."

"Ruby…"

Her head was in her hands by this point and Ren almost thought she was crying, but it seemed to just be the sweat so far. Still, she'd come to a complete stop, crouching down with her teeth digging into her bottom lip. "No, stop it. I didn't… I didn't mean it like that." Paler than usual, her own brand of bitter self-loathing infested her voice. "Listen to me, I sound like such a brat."

Figuring she wouldn't appreciate him trying to touch her again, Ren stuck with standing while gazing down at the clump of glistening hair, arms crossed. "So, your average 17-year-old girl, huh?"

The comment only seemed to make her break into a pensive frown. "Being a huntress was fun, yes. I'll admit it, I loved that rush, but I'm not…" She shook her head, choking out a growl as her fingers clenched her forehead. "I'm not trying to sound selfish or like a glory hog or something."

After a moment of internal debate, Ren was down there, roughly the same eye level and aching his knees to hell and back. But he knew it was worth it as they locked eyes, two pairs of lost souls trying to help one another find the light. "You miss having the ability to help people, right?"

She sighed. That's all she could do to protest, just sigh. She was starting to feel the age of her new persona and the lifetime of weariness. "I always wanted to be a hero, still do. But how can I help people if I can't even walk for a minute without feeling my lungs scream?" In a bout of bitter, painful laughter, she struck a pathetic pose, making an exaggerated finger-wagging motion as she put on a 'dramatic' voice. "Never fear, Citizens! I'll put a stop to that beastly menace, just as long as a gentle breeze doesn't drag me away." The laughter, as forced as it was fake, faded as quickly as it overcame her, leaving nothing but bitter, bitter reality.

It was a full minute before another word was spoken, a full minute of Ren opening up his mouth, only to clamp it shut as confidence abandoned his words to die quickly. "I don't know what I can say to ease your frustration." He finally admitted, not averting Ruby's gaze, but not exactly meeting it either. He didn't want to see her disappointment, not now, not like this. He needed her to see that he wasn't like her, neither was Jaune, Blake, or anyone else, they couldn't empower the latent optimism or simplicity in the hearts of those she needed to. Not like she could. "All I can tell you is what I think, and even without all your skill, grace, and powers; you're still the leader here. You lost a lot, but you haven't lost what made me and Jaune follow you half-way across the world." He didn't have a speech, he reminded himself as his head dropped, he had not the words nor the power. He could make simple statements, he could say what the truth was, what the answer she needed to hear, but only she could make herself and everyone else believe it. Because she was Ruby Rose. "Your… Uh…"

"My impeccable fashion sense?" He froze in place for that moment, not expecting her to interrupt or even speak yet. At the very least, he immediately felt his heart jump when he recognized the smidge of humor in her tone.

"Your personality? Determination? I'm not good at speeches…" Tripping over his words with ill confidence, he took a chance and rose to meet her eye; she was smiling. Ever so slightly, she was smiling.

The finger tapping against her nose sealed it for him, a cheeky and simple addition that only Ruby could make feel complicated. "I think you're trying to say, heart?" The smile grew an inch wider.

"Heart? Heart! Yes, that's a good word for it." His hands came together loudly, perhaps too loudly, without thinking, his eyes widening as her expression only grew. "You haven't lost your… Well, you get the picture."

Before long it was her hand resting on his shoulder, beaming up at him with dryer skin and her voice back the way it should be. "It's the thought that makes me melt inside, Ren." It was a joke, of course, but he could still feel that she was serious in her meaning. He expected it to end there, a simple nod between friends and then they'd move on. However, Ruby of course had to make complexity from simplicity, springing to her feet (with a grimace) with her arms cast wide open. "Bring it in!"

Standing in the middle of the street, ignorant masses paying him no mind and a childish leader demanding a hug; Ren felt awkward. "…Do I have to?" It were as if he stood on a stage, presenting his insecurities and sensitive touch to an audience he could never see, but was always aware of.

In true Ruby fashion, when she didn't get what she wanted, she puffed out her cheeks and jammed her thumb into the air. He was sure it was some common gesture of leadership because he recalled Jaune doing it quite a few times. Of course, that might have just been the Blonde Blunderer following in the footsteps of his beloved Huntress. "I'm still the leader, Captain's orders!" The way her fingers wiggled like wet fries and her eyebrows dripped as if they were waiting for an implication to drop, Ren had half the mind to assume there was some sinister subtext he was missing for the moment. "Bring in the brotherly love!"

He wasn't proud of how fast he caved, after years with the sugar-coated energy of Nora, you'd think patience and endurance would be at their peak. "Fine." And yet, he was quickly disarmed by her childish expressions, poised on her tiptoes and quivering lower lip.

Previously, he could visualize her grinding teeth, but as he bent down to embrace her tiny form (in a view that would be sure to make Jaune melt with jealousy) the only thing his mind could think of was Yang's trademark grin that was 100% guaranteed to make one want to break her jaw. "See, isn't this nice?" And the taunting didn't make it any more bearable.

"People are starting to stare." He lied, he wouldn't dare bring his eyes up to face the crowd from this position no matter the curiosity.

"With jealousy!" Her arms were completely immobilized and yet he could still feel them as if they were being yanked back and forth.

"Looks more like sympathy…" He grumbled softly. "I never realized how small you are."

"I'm not small," She protested with as much confidence as she had with her 'normal knees'. "Jaune says I'm fun-sized."

Ah yes, Ren thought, the unbiased conclusion of the boy who was drooling over her as a dog drools for meat. Ruby could have put a garbage bag on her head and Jaune would still look at her like he was experiencing puberty all over again. "I call for a second opinion."

She pulled away with a look that Ren assumed was supposed to be mocking sophistication. Nose raised high, as if balancing imaginary spectacles upon the bridge, and shoulders perfectly symmetrical. "As the supreme judge of the Court of Ruby Affairs: Request denied."

"Guess I can't beat corruption in the system." Ren's eyes drifted away from Ruby to add further irritation to his bitter acceptance of failure, the regime of the rose being just too powerful. But in that moment, he seemed to lose himself once more, once again, the bright hues of the city drained of color, the crowd melting into a stilted sea, all so his heart could choke itself on the image of bright orange hair zipping through the sea od faded color and into the nearest store.

"Ren, you're staring off into space again."

It wasn't an image, barely even a thought, just a flash of cruelty upon his soul that appeared to him at random and quickly vanished. "I was just…" His voice sounded rough, no moisture to it, just dry disappointment. "Nevermind."

Watching his face falter under the stress of distress, Ruby's hand quickly found his, squeezed tightly, and yanked him forward with as bright a smile as she could muster. "Oh, look, I see a 'Staff Wanted' sign!"


	8. That Sinking Feeling

Sanctuary was clean.

It was a simple word to describe the sight before him, but it was certainly the most effective and honest one. Jaune had never thought of Beacon Academy being dirty, everything was neat and tidy with no obvious stains but still thrived with the beating heart of life within its walls. You could see particles of dust swaying with the morning sun, gentle layers of age feeding through tiny cracks in the foundation of the walls, the slight wrinkle in the carpets where the flood of rushing students had dragged the edges back, and even the fingerprints of every loner that pressed their hand against the windows while they idled. Beacon Academy had been a school you could look at and immediately tell that people lived there, whether they were there at the moment or not.

Sanctuary was pristine, practically glowing, not a dent of personality to be seen. It was more like a model built to real-world scale than an actual building, meant to be placed on a pedestal, sealed in a glass case, and never touched; only admired from a safe distance. Picture perfect strips of bright green grass, with every individual strand standing straight, flanking a narrow pathway of stone leading up to an elevated square. Of course, at the square's center was a large intimidating statue, it's marble visage giving way to a scowling man with bloated features, sullen eyes, and seaweed stuck to every curve. It immediately gave Jaune an unpleasant image of a drowning man. Behind the odd statue stood what Jaune could only describe as a small castle, jagged gates and watchtowers and all. It too was clean. It too was pristine. It too lacked life.

"This looks… Pleasant." Pleasant, now that word was a bald-faced lie. As soon as it left his lips, it felt wrong, as if Jaune instinctively felt ashamed of himself for saying such an obvious falsehood. The word brought forward the image of welcoming venues, comforting environments, simple beauty, and an overall feeling of warmth. There was no warmth in these empty halls, only a thin veneer of civility.

It was clean. Disgustingly clean. One glance as Jaune pushed forward towards the main gate and he could already imagine the cleaners, desperate, red-faced, and silent as they scrubbed every inch clean until their blood became the new soap. It was the type of clean that made one think about the stains, that carried with it a silent mystery, an implication of something sinister laying it on a smidge too thick with an oppressive call for silence.

"State your name and business, Sir." For a moment, Jaune was ready to accept that this dollhouse of a castle came with it's very own ghost, the cold and monotoned voice hitting him hard and immediately knocking him off balance. Suffice to say, it wasn't the best first impression for him to be sent crashing to the ground because he didn't notice the intercom attached to the gates.

Now, he didn't know if the speaker could see his pathetic pratfall, but he could very much imagine the utter dismay and bitter acceptance spread across the woman's face in his head. Just watching this dolt and questioning if she was really getting paid enough to deal with these idiots. Either way, the thought had Jaune scrambling to his feet with what remained of his dignity and his best attempt at a charming smile as he leaned over the voice box. "Larry Jenkins, I'm here to meet with the Headmistress?"

He could hear a small blare of white noise sprinkle out of the intercom, attuned to the scraping of rough paper as it was slid across a desk. Jaune liked to imagine she'd been on her phone in the midst of a text, or reading amusing non-work related posts on the net until he came along to remind her of her job. It wouldn't mean much, but it would breathe some much-needed humanity into this place, make it feel less like every second he stood here something was being sucked out of him. "Oh, that's right. Jenkins, Jenkins…" But then it was most likely to him that she'd been doing no such skiving, not a hint of focus left astray. No, she probably stared at the screen, nothing registering until something moved. A living camera looking through another camera. It was just the feeling this place gave him, and he'd only been back for a few seconds. He could only imagine how he'd felt working here for years. "Head round the back, up the steps, follows the signs, yeah?"

He offered a small two-fingered salute, but he was pretty sure the woman wasn't following his gestures and stopped mid-salute. "Haven't even entered the building yet and I already feel unwelcome." Muttering under his breath, he pushed off his beat-up sneakers (the most fashionable shoes he seemed to own, coming with a fresh coat of dirt and holes) and felt himself sink and he passed under the now raised gate and extended bridge.

Jaune had never been inside a castle before, nor had he ever been inside a school designed to look like a castle, so he had little expectation going in. Yet he was still taken aback by the blend of modern and ancient aesthetic. The walls were clearly reinforced metal, but a layer of dark, gleaming paint created gaps and patch patterns in the material to make it easy to mistake for stone bricks. The entrance hall was exactly what you'd picture a grand hall looking like, a wide amount of space dotted with suits of armor, a grand staircase in the middle, and two smaller doors beside the stairs leading downwards. The lights were not electrical, but they weren't normal either, large torches hung from the rafters above, clenched in the hands of stone gargoyles; spitting foreboding blue flames.

Immediately, Jaune could feel it, the alienation, the unwelcoming burden, that sense of othering creeping into his bones. It reminded him of being a kid again, going over to a friend's house, and never forgetting that fact. No matter how much people would try to make him feel at home, tell him to make himself comfortable. It always felt it was clear he wasn't supposed to be there, like at any minute someone would catch him and yell at him for being in the wrong place. It was fresh at the back of his mind. No one was comforting him and he knew he'd been invited in, but he could feel eyes on him, like every wall was hiding a mass of eager eyes scrutinizing his every move, whispering to one another about why he was here, wishing he was gone.

"Follow the signs… Follow the signs…" He repeated the simple instructions out loud, clinging to them like the only rope stopping him from dropping into the abyss. Eyes remained glued to the wall, holographic signs twinkling above him, almost easy to miss with how dim they were. His feet shuffled in a rushed clamoring of footsteps under this lighting, constantly moving towards the nearest light source at every corner he passed. One wrong turn and he feared this castle would swallow him up whole, never to be seen again.

It added to the cleanliness of it all, the idea that any stain, human or otherwise, would be sucked into some dark corner of the castle and simply vanish. There was no life to walk the halls, there was no need for the lighting to be the least bit warm as there were no eyes that needed to see. There were only the walls, the drapes, and the suits of armor that sunk into the background.

When he finally emerged from the dower hallway into what he assumed was the office, he gasped. There was light streaming in from the window, basking him in a calm and warm glow as the room opened up into a generally more lived-in space. It felt like a drowning man breaking the surface of the sea to get his first gasp of clean air, clearing his lungs of the claustrophobic corridors at his back. It was his sanctuary within Sanctuary, and with two minutes to spare he was ready to take a moment and breathe in this moment of relief.

The first time he raised his head to sweep his gaze around the room, he was met with the unimpressed look of the green-haired secretary situated at her desk, a pen hanging from the corner of her lips. _Emerald._ He remarked bitterly in his head. It didn't take much for him to recognize her. No, he'd been expecting her and the rest of the homicidal clown gang to turn up at one point or another. The mere sight of her immediately triggered an instinctual reaction of disgust in his stomach. He knew less about Emerald than he had about most of the villains back in the simulation, but her involvement in the tragedies of his story still felt fresh, even now. It wasn't a strong disgust, but it was enough to make itself known.

She didn't ask his name, she didn't exchange any small talk, she never spoke a single word. The girl simply looked him over, an almost pitiable look hiding behind a stoic mask, tapped out a few keys on her monitor, and gestured him to the door behind her. He offered her the same treatment in return, wordlessly nodding and pushing past her, barely sparing a glance at her. Partly, he just wanted to get this all over with, the other part of him didn't want to give himself time to see how misleading the characterization of Emerald was in the simulation, but most of him… Most of him was steeling himself for what was ahead.

He hadn't come running in blind. No, he'd done his fair share of homework on the school before today, hoping some semblance of familiarity would return to him through the research. And his research bore only the most rotten of fruit. It wasn't the School's student scores that caught his eye, nor the multiple buried articles about accusations of the more unsavory or abusive methods employed in the curriculum. No, when he closed that door behind him, his lungs tightened and his teeth ground into one another. He'd spent all morning letting it all out in the foggy bathroom mirror, saying every vile and disgusting thought that festered within his mind, hoping that he could unload all that excess pressure before he had to hide it away behind a façade of politeness.

Yet, the moment he entered, he immediately found himself looking for anything to distract him. The walls were crowded, slowly bending to make the other end of the room tighter, the ceiling was too high to focus on and the low lighting made sure only the desk before him was highlighted. He had no choice but to look at it. And on that desk, he found her eyes, those amber eyes, tinged with malice, coupled with that artificial smile. There, the memories came to him in flashes, so distant and now fake, yet the wounds still screamed like they were fresh. She was empty, so, so empty, and even in reality, he let her mere presence get to him.

He shouldn't have been surprised now, and he shouldn't have been surprised back when he first looked her up. Of course, who else but Cinder Fall was going to fill in the role of his previous employer and discipline of the most unsubtle villain layer next to a volcano lab. There was no guilt or correction to give himself in associating her with villainy. There might have been before but meeting her in person told him everything he needed to know with just one glance. She exuded that aura of superiority, of sick and cruel pleasures that flinched with disgust at him. Even the lazy look she cast towards whatever paper she'd been reading before he entered was splattered with an almost silent evil laugh. "Excuse me, Mis-"

"Eleven O'clock, right on the dot." It was deliberate, waiting for him to talk just so she could cut through his greeting, he could tell when her grin stretched a fraction further at stopping him in his tracks. Only when he didn't try again to continue his greeting did she raise her head, eyes trained on him like a hungry predator playing with it's food. "I always admired your punctuation, Mr. Jenkins."

"C-Cinder!?" It was like stepping into the spotlight on a stage. You rehearse all the lines over and over until your tongue goes numb, you sit in the back room so sure of what you'd say and how you'd compose yourself. And yet, the moment you step out there and face the crowd, suddenly your voice goes weak and every line dies fresh in your throat, only allowing you the simple humiliation of choking out the obvious.

Perhaps it was in his favor to sound so gobsmacked, it seemed to please her greatly. Such a limp delivery, so weak and pathetic under her gaze; it must have made her feel so much more powerful to have that effect on him. "That's Miss Fall to you. A vacation is no excuse to forget your respect for your betters." As the condescension dripped from her lips, keeping control of both the flow of the conversation and his ability to respond, Jaune could still see Pyrrha on her knees, an arrow buried in her chest.

"Uh, sorry, Miss." He wavered to her superiority, though he'd admit he didn't know for which end it was for. Was he simply trying to avoid any hassle by just going along with it? Was he just sucking up to his new boss? Was he too distracted to make a firmer reply? Or perhaps it was as simple as his fears presented it; that even with the knowledge that her actions against him were nothing more than a nightmare, she was still able to dig her nails deep into his heart and clamp down on any backbone he'd built up over the years. He was still afraid of her.

Without warning or permission, a single finger lazily stretched out the scratch his chin. She had to reach out to touch him, he was standing over her, but it felt like he was the one sitting down while she stood imposing and tall above him. "Being the benevolent and generous personality I am, I'll let it slide, but do keep your head on straight from now on, hm?" It all felt so familiar, so normal. His heart-stopping cold, his throat tightening, and his body refusing to do anything other than submit to her touch. Her nail dug a mere inch into his skin, not enough to cause pain, but enough to leave a mark, enough to tell him that she was there and that he was letting it happen.

It came down in a straight line, a trail of fading red marks descending towards his neck. The more her finger moved, the more strained his throat became until he felt much akin to a swollen balloon, ready to pop at the slightest prick from her thin, manicured claws. "Otherwise, it'll just twist off." She drew out every action down to her syllables, voice low and sultry, knowing she didn't need to be loud for him to focus on every single word. She waited, by god she waited, watching his expression fall as any temptation to resist fading. When she was satisfied with his reaction she reached over to the side of her desk, digging her fingers into a small pot of green wrapped toffees, procuring one and holding it out for him like a dentist offering a child a lollipop for not whining too much. "Candy?"

He took the condescending treat in his hand, the rough and humid feel of the wrapper making his throat run dry. "Yes. Thank you. Very much." Every word came through gritted teeth and withheld bile, a mantra of 'don't make trouble' repeating in his mind like the most annoying tunes. She knew this, of course, knew that he was aware of what she was doing. She didn't need him to be happy with the arrangement, she just needed him to understand that he had no choice but the ones she gave him.

"How's your wife doing?" Cinder finally gave him the small mercy of being able to sit, gesturing towards a narrow-looking wooden stood in front of her desk.

"Still divorced." He responded without pause, fighting desperately to take inspiration from Ren's own blank and stoic impressions. Just because he had to put up with Cinder doesn't mean he had to make it obvious.

"Excellent." The way her cheeks puffed up as her lips stabbed into their underbelly disturbed him. Her skin stretched just an inch far enough to make the whole act artificial, as if she were made of plastic rather than flesh, covering up nothing more than empty space. "And your little pup, hope he's keeping his nose clean."

He didn't like that. He didn't like that she knew he had a son, that she said it in such an insulting tone, that she used the boy to make him flinch. He had no memory of his son's very existence, but he already felt that fatherly instinct burn bright and furious. "He's, uh… Fine, as far as I kn-"

"As much as I love to show a vested interest in your life," That winning smile faded into a businesswoman's thin line and narrowed focused eyes. "we should get straight down to business. All this pointless chit chat is just getting in the way." Her hands came together in a simple gesture, streamlining the condescending tone with her fingertips pointing down at him. She made a show of visibly wincing before directly looking at him. "You've been out of the game for a while now, haven't you? Your bones have softened, your hair's grown out," She gave one last scrutinizing look over him, leaning over and adopting a 'sympathetic' look. "and the less said about your face the better."

With the deconstruction of his self-confidence underway, the energy shifted drastically as she pushed off the desk, sending her chair spinning and her jumping to her feet. She stood tall, oozing confidence as she stalked around the desk. Perching herself on the corner, she lifted one leg over her knee, showing a generous amount of skin that would have been tantalizing if it had been anyone else. With Cinder, it only drew attention to just how sharp her high heels looked and how close they were to Jaune's eye. "However, I always saw potential in you, Jinky. And I'm sure that someone in your position understands how lucky they are to still even have a job."

Jaune felt his body freeze up, his ear-catching the obvious implication in her words. "My position?" He rationalized to himself that she could have just meant him being an unqualified idiot with little job prospects, but something in her tone, in that reminder made him wonder if there was more context. Something he'd done that she knew would hold him back, something he'd forgotten.

"I'm just saying, if I were you, I'd be ready to pull out all the stops and work like hell until you get back into the flow of things." Another lean forward bringing her a hair's width away from puncturing his vision on her pike-like heel, her tone losing all false sincerity and charm and instead of lingering on a dangerous edge. "Can't be having another janitor slacking off on us now, can we? We run a tight ship at this academy."

"I'm… Here for a janitor job?" It sounded like the most mundane sentence to say out loud, yet on the inside, his heart trembled in clenched fright at the prospect of her answer.

"Why, of course!" Her hands were upon him and he was not in the least bit comfortable with it. Sharp nails scraped across the back of his neck, pulling him forward, narrowly avoiding an eye-gouging, and pressing his cheek against her ankle. "The facilities have been a real mess without your personal touch, so I hope you're ready to get your elbows greasy." Her tone did not change in the slightest, only growing quieter and more precise in how it burrowed into his ear, as if it were echoing through her very bones calling out from the flesh she pressed him into. "I trust you to clean up all the messes on the premises. And any other _mess_ I choose." He didn't dare try to look up at her, didn't even think of meeting her eye after it all set in. Whether because he feared displeasing her, or because the very thought of all the images that would flash forward to contextualize her words filled him with a heavy, disgusting shame. "Are your duties clear to you, Mr. Jenkins?"

It was all quite clear. He was the Janitor, he kept Sanctuary clean, so lifelessly spick and span. He made the model and kept it on it's pedestal, she broke his bones for elbow grease and spilled his blood for that shine. He made sure that no one ever saw the stains made by the reputable and spotless Cinder Fall. "Yes… Miss Fall. I understand perfectly."

"Excellent." It felt as if a lifetime had passed in motionless silence, not a heartbeat to hears nor a breath to be taken. Just him, the shame, and the thoughts that just wouldn't budge. It was only Cinder now sitting back by her desk, sliding over a small folder to him, that reminded him that time was still proceeding as normal. "Here's your map, your keys, and a little welcome back card from yours truly." He'd later find that the card was a sad little piece of faded cardboard, sending regards for a speedy recovery for a miss Tera Arc and expressing disappointment in the death of her pet, crudely signed by Cardin Winchester. "The cleaning supplies shed has been relocated to the other side of the grounds, so make sure to pay attention to your map." He barely took it all in, picking up the folder as he silently rose from his chair, desperate to avoid looking at her before heading over to the door. "No wandering off into places you shouldn't be in."

Jaune would later tell Ruby that he was fine, that he took everything on the chin, stuck it out, and didn't let Cinder get to him. He would tell her he didn't tremble, that his voice was clear and deadpan. He would tell her many things. "You know me, Miss. I've always been good at following directions."

* * *

"You should know, I'm _great_ at following directions." Ruby liked to imagine that she said that with enthusiasm, a tone boasting a cavalcade of energy, confidence, and professionalism. In her head, she didn't speak with a quiet squeak, hot on the trail of an outburst of thought dying in tone. In her head, she stared directly into the old man's eyes, lips forming a tight smirk, instead of her own dull vision staring at the ground, lips trembling with a nervous smile.

Suffice to say, the reality was not making her look good so far.

When she finally lifted her head to face the old man's reaction, she was met with a stern gaze framed by fading ginger eyebrows. Following his gaze, she found her hand gripping the side of the counter, right next to a sign spelling out 'Wet Paint: Do not touch.'. "Okay, I have some room to improve, but having the energy and determination to improve has to count for something, right?"

Nerves had a way of making you perceive time in inconsistent beats. For all Ruby knew, it could have been minutes or days since she first stumbled into the store, an eager bounce in her step as she dragged Ren in to back her up, wielding a 'Help Wanted' poster ripped in half all the way up to the counter. She had such courage back then, courage that shriveled up into nothing around the second time the store owner told her to buzz off.

He was a stout man, a little shorter than average, covered in more hair than flesh. It made it really tempting for Ruby to compare him to the head of a mop, but even she knew that would be extremely rude. "I told you, there's no job for you here." Bushy eyebrows flapped downwards as his eyes narrowed, wrinkled fingers sharply waving her off. Ruby couldn't decide whether that made his words less or more powerful. "Not anymore."

To her credit, she thought that he purposely left his tone too ambiguous to gauge what he really meant, so it wasn't quite a blow to her confidence not to catch it. Still, she managed to find some emotional ground and adjusted her position by the counter, gripping the edges to push herself up a little taller. "But you have a 'Help wanted' sign right outside!" Initially, she raised her hand in what she assumed to be a powerful gesture, pointing directly at him with the sheer 'fact' of her statement powering her confident stare. Only, she then realized that she was still holding the ripped-up advertisement in that same hand, which immediately shot a hole in her enthusiasm and let her sink into a sheepish grin. "…Had a 'Help Wanted' sign outside. Heh."

There was that narrowed eyed look again, like he was scrutinizing a particularly annoying piece of litter in his path that he knew no one else was going to pick up. For a brief moment, she heard him exhale a strong sigh and shake his head, voice lower this time. "That sign should have been taken down weeks ago. Must have forgotten, yes."

Casting her gaze south, she looked towards Ren for support. However, it seemed his version of support was to hang his jaw low, always stopping himself from speaking just as he was about to offer hope. Still, he ended it on a warm smile and an encouraging nod. She had this, she just needed to believe in herself, or friendship, or in the heart of the wallet or something. The belief was the key factor here. Pulling herself together, she tried the next method of desperate pleading; appealing to emotion. "Look, Gramps, I know I made a bad first impression." A pause as she tried to tone down the aggressive undercurrent in her voice. "A very bad first impression. But you can't just shoot me down without so much as a job interview!"

"Actually," Ren's interruption started out strong, but he found his voice fading into an awkward hum as Ruby turned to shoot a not-so-subtle glare at him. "he's completely in his right to do that..."

She tried to hide the pleading edge to her look as she returned her gaze to the man. "Not helping, Ren."

Another cigarette-choking growl lurched from the bottom of his throat as the man pushed off the counter, moving towards a stack of boxes at his back. His body language shifted to a more rigid stance and his hand lazily waved her off, signifying he was back in work mode. "There's nothing for you here." He paused to pick up one of the boxes, delicately squatting down with a grimace of pain even Ruby could see from there. In that split second, the moniker of 'Old Man' became a much more fitting description, as if the moment his back turned on them, his features then withered by both a physical and emotional toll. "Please, just leave me be."

His please struck a familiar chord in Ruby's heart. Not a memory or an identity, but an emotion, a cold one that she'd felt fester in her stomach since they arrived in this cynical reality. He didn't communicate it intentionally, or even overtly, but it was there. The way his knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on the boxes, goaded on by the subconscious humiliation of how difficult a simple task had become for him. Whether it was old age itself or another source, his body was starting to whimper, and he was powerless to stop it. The last thing he wanted was an audience for it. Pulling on this string only further enflamed Ruby's need to appease and get through to this stranger, though the darker more insulting part of her mind gleeful questioned if her reasons were strictly heroic. "Come on, can't you just give me a chance? I'll work cheap, never moan and _and_ I'll work my butt off until I go numb."

She didn't move past the counter, feeling to defy his space would be considered an insult. Instead, she resigned herself to making her tone and gaze as enthusiastic as possible. Jaune had always told her that her energy was infectious, that she smiled so brightly that others became instinctually happier for reasons they couldn't explain. If even a smidge of that statement was true, she'd try her darndest to give her energy to the man. "I'm, like, the perfect worker."

He looked towards her, but not at her. His head turned, but his gaze couldn't quite meet hers. It wasn't that he looked past her or even through her, but the way his eyes widened and his muscles tightened, it was like she could see an image projected from his eyes alone, like he saw something else standing in her place for the briefest of moments. And from that image, he bled great shame as the weight of the crate became too much to bare and it broke from his fingertips, hitting the ground with a loud thump.

Ren's fingers lightly prying at her shoulder was unexpected, but she managed not to jump in fright as he gently urged her back. She scanned his face, looking for sympathy behind his general diplomatic grace, wondering if he too could see the way the man looked upon them; if he could hear the silent guilt. "I understand she can seem like a bit of a handful at first, Sir, but I can vouch for her. Can't find a more trustworthy employee." Ruby naturally attempted to assume a more rigid and upright stance to further empower his point, putting on a face she'd mostly seen her sister use back when she was being grilled for confessions from her father. Tense, pronounced, and was one or two irritating strands of hair away from twitching and giving the whole game away. "The few employees you have are barely keeping up with service as it is. With a business like this, surely you have at least one position open."

It was in Ren's mention of the business itself that Ruby had realized another embarrassing factor of her sudden and rushed entrance: she had no idea what this shop sold. Was it even a shop? What had been the title on the poster? Mentally, hindsight was tearing her asunder for her grievous error, but on the outside she found her muscles wind even tighter trying to conceal her sudden lack of knowledge. Working quickly as Ren warmed up the owner, her eyes took in her surroundings, looking for signifiers, signs, prices, anything to relieve her of this self-made tension.

There were dust dispenser descending from the ceiling, similar to the Dust 'Till Dawns ones from her first encounter with Torchwick back in the simulation, so it was natural to assume this was a dust store. However, before she could settle on that answer her eyes moved further left to linger over the array of tables and chairs, arranged like diner compartments pushed up against the windows. Atop them, there were empty plates and cutlery wrapped in tissue and some laminated paper she couldn't read from this distance. So, wait, it was a restaurant too? The wallpaper was drowning in tropical patterns, yet pictures of Atlas's icy tundra's hung from the walls, and the staff seemed to be dressed up as some sort of robotic cosplayers? What the hell was the theme here?!

"Well… It would be nice to have a fresh pair of hands that aren't taking smoke breaks every ten minutes…" Ruby's investigation was cut short by the return of the man's voice, accompanied by the feeling of his glare burrowing into her soul once more. She gave the most convincing smile she could muster, which is to say a smile too wide to be comfortable and too toothy to be real. Immediately, his face recoiled. The image was there again. "But I can't…" Once more, he became weak, leaning even further on the stability of the counter before him, shaking his head. "I can't."

Ruby clasped her hands together, still pushing on that flicker of doubt. She needed this, just one win today. Just one. "Just let me prove myself, Gramps! What do you got to lose?"

"Outside of my patience?"

"Please?"

After what could have been one minute or ten, with Ren and Ruby stretching out their lips ina desperate attempt to look convincing, the man's expression relented. Whether out of fatigue or mercy, he gave a reluctant sigh. "Fine." Despite the grumbling flavor to his tone, Ruby noticed that he seemed to stand stronger as he made his way past the counter. "A job interview at least."

She was still for a moment. Then Ren leaned closer and gave her the quiet advice of not doing her special victory dance. She frowned, but nodded as she took off to follow the old man. "Awesome!" Immediately, she could feel Ren cringing at her back as she yelled this out with a high pitched squeal. The old man didn't seem shocked, just slightly bemused by the supposed adult's rather childish action. Quickly, Ruby straightened out her posture and scratched the underside of her chin, taking on that contemplative and stony look she'd seen other 'professionals' do. "I mean; naturally. I am most pleasantly grateful?"

"I'm regretting this already…" He shook his head, gesturing to the table by the back for their seats. From there, the two were allowed to sit at an even level, eye to eye, in comfort. However, for Ruby, this just built up the pressure that was strangling her lungs and reminding her that she'd never been in a job interview before. _Calm, think calm things. It's just a bunch of questions, like a pop quiz! And they're all questions about me, and no one knows me better than me._ "Name?"

She just had to answer simple questions, she couldn't go wrong. "Ruby Rose!"

"Your ID says, Audry." He answers flatly, eyes narrowing in a scowl rife with suspicion. Between his fingers, he held her ID card up towards his nose, her true name emboldened by a bright, sharp, and bold font choice. She didn't know when she gave him her card, only that she was very much regretting it twenty times over. "You trying to play me?"

"Oh, no, no, no!" _One simple question._ She chided herself even as she forced her hands forward like a warrior showing they were not armed. _I just had to answer one simple question: What is my name? Nothing could go wrong, except I managed to make everything go wrong in one second flat!_ Shamefully, her head sunk low, the sigh that escaped being as soft as it was quiet. "It's just… Uh… I don't like my name?"

Ruby waited for rebuke, she waited for a scathing insult or the piercing effect of his gaze. She waited for yet another reminder that reality truly was laughing in her face. Yet, all she heard after a moment was a gentle, almost understand 'hmpf' from the man. Looking up, she found he was leaning back in his chair, looking over her card once more, eyes darting between her picture and the woman before him. Eventually, he shrugged. Nothing dramatic, nothing heavy, just a simple shrug. "Well, you can't work under a fake name."

A nod, a level voice. Don't push your luck. "O-Of course."

"Any experience working retail?"

If there was one thing she had been told about job interviews, it had been a variation of 'Ask dumb questions, exaggerate and only tell half-truths'. "I was the number one customer at Dust 'Till Dawn? Helped my Dad repair walls every time I broke them!" Her heart lurched, so desperate to sing the praises of her huntress experience, to tell tall tales of the countless hours she could spend tearing through hordes of Grimm in a tightly knit unit. But no, she could not bring herself to speak that lie, no matter how much she wished it were true, she could not bring that sweet delusion to her tongue for her gag reflex wouldn't accept the dishonesty. Instead, all she was left with was ill-thought-out humor at best. "And a lifetime of free friendly consultation."

Another pause as he turned to his scroll, swiping through data she couldn't hope to see. She never liked pauses. This wasn't a stage play, there was no need to keep her in suspense. "You have a resume?"

It felt like every question set her up for defeat, yet she followed through anyway. "…Nope." Backed into a corner, all her body could muster was her endless and often flagrant optimism. She put her hand over her chest, rocking back and forth to a silent beat. "But I do have an honest heart and sugar for blood!"

For the first time, she heard the man chuckle. Now, it didn't sound like a normal chuckle, more like his throat was being tickled mid-groan, but it was a chuckle all the same. Something that gave her hope, made her lips twitch a little. "You'd get along with my Niece."

She clasped her hands together, seeing the only thread that had made progress and tugging on it hard. "And I get along with nieces! That's gotta count for something."

He looked upon her face, so bright, so full energy, but clouded by desperation. She wore her heart on her sleeve, a heart cracked that gave the man so many questions. It was like staring into the eyes of someone who knew their days were numbered, who desperately gripped onto a final chance that remained, otherwise trapped in their fate. After a moment of consideration, he slumped in his seat, disposing of any shred of professionalism he had. He looked at her, really looked at her. Not to scrutinize, not to nit-pick details, just giving her a serious look. "Why are you so desperate for this job?"

It was such a painful question. It made it clear how pathetic she felt, like she was watching herself fight tooth and nail for something so mundane. "Because I want to get paid?" There was no thought put into her answer, just a desire to move on before she looked vulnerable in front of a total stranger. At her answer, she felt his goodwill begin to ebb away. She was wasting his time. Despite herself, she felt it worse to bother him with her own burdens without allowing him rightful context. It wasn't fair to him. Her late mother, however fake she may be, taught her respect; and even now she wouldn't dare to so carelessly throw such respect away even if the person was a stranger. "Wait, wait, don't look so annoyed, I mean-" A sigh, heaving a wave of emotional contradictions from her lungs. She rested her hands on the table's surface, clinging together through sweaty fingers as she returned his curious gaze. "Honestly? I'm not here because I need the money, not really. It's just I need, _need_ , a job. Something to do that makes me feel needed." It started off quiet, unsure of her own words. Ruby was hardly one who looked inward, seeing her problems mostly as something she could whittle away at with enough hard work in her physical attributes.

Follow her opening doubts there was silence, echoing throughout the room as a reminder of what her voice carried. She knew the old man could hear it too, feel it too. For he regarded her with sympathy… No, empathy. She could see it as she saw it earlier, that flash of reignition. He didn't recognize her to be certain, he recognized the plight. He fears being unneeded just like her. "See, I got this dumb leg. It wasn't always dumb, it used to be smart. I mean, good. I mean…" There was a wince as she stopped once more, like a visceral, but distant pain, had shot up the leg as fresh as the day it had broken. However, sharing a look with the man, she felt her confidence boom, she felt the desire, no, the need to speak explode. She stood, even on that blinding pain, she stood. "Ever since it broke, everything normal suddenly became a hassle. Walking took effort, running is like I gained fifty pounds and helping other people just has 'em laughing at me." This leg, this pain, the constant inconvenience; it made her feel weak. And yet, the recognition numbed, not the weakness itself, but the sting of shame. She felt weak, yes, but many people felt weak. It wasn't odd of her to feel so. She was a normal girl, with normal knees, with normal fears. "I don't like feeling useless, I need to contribute in any way I can. You can have me scrubbing floors with a toothbrush or have customers use me as a footstool, anything. I just don't want to feel like this anymore."

"Like you're powerless?" He didn't skip a beat, dropping his scroll, his notes, the works to the table surface and completely ignoring them. "So, you got a bad leg, huh?" She nodded. He nodded. She giggled. He had a hint of a smile. None of them knew the joke, just that there was probably a funny punchline. "No resume, no recommendations, no experience, and a medical condition, huh?" He leaned back further, sucking air loudly through his teeth, activity preying on the anxiety eating away at her heart. It was a minute later that he finally shrugged. "Oh well, we all have to start somewhere."

The 'oh well' made her shoulders drop, leaving a couple of seconds of delay before her brain heard the rest of his reply clearly. "…Oh wait, is that a yes?" A nod was all she needed to throw away any sense of professionalism, punch the air and cry out a garbled mix of aimless squealing and 'wahoo'. "Yes! Thanks, Gramps, I won't let you down!" Before the man could answer, she had already on the other side of the table, grabbing hold of his chair just as his surprise made him lose his balance. "I can start right away, what's my first task?"

Mr. Loakai, as Ruby read off his name tag, raised a strict finger to roughly prod into her nose. "Well, first of all, you can stop calling me Gramps. I'm not that old." His finger moved to gently smacking her hands off his chair, letting him slide back against the table. Back on solid ground, he jabbed his thumb behind him, towards a dinky looking door behind the counter. "Go out back, get yourself a uniform, and then you can help my Niece sort out our storage room."

"Right away, Sir!" Ruby gave her best salute, which resulted in her accidentally smacking her forehead, sending her stumbling into an awkwardly rushed walk. Still, she kept that giggling smile, waved back at Ren. "Oh, and thanks, Ren. You really saved my bacon there." She managed to avoid tripping on anything else on her way to the door. Well, until she got to the foot of the door where, in her excitement, she practically charged into it and damn well near ripped it off it's hinges. The door was undamaged, but the last thing the two men saw of her was her body tumbling through the doorway, something hitting the ground, and then a laugh. "Ooo, my first real job, how exciting!"

With a silent question of if it were too late to change his mind weighing on his brow, Loakai turned back to Ren, still processing it all. "You got quite the little spitfire there." He managed to mutter.

Ren held his hands up defensively, trying to play it all off with a nervous laugh. "I take no responsibility for her." He quickly noticed the man wasn't going to respond, instead focusing on Ren with the same flair of recognition he had for Ruby, only more weary instead of empathetic. It wasn't a scrutinizing look, it was one of self-doubt, one that Ren found unnerved him more than he thought it would. "You keep looking at me weirdly, have I done something?"

There was an accusation on the tip of Loakai's tongue, a conclusion he wanted to test, but the moment it was ready to voice itself his head shook it all away. "No, no…" He spoke wearily, looking off to the side, squinting at his thoughts. "At least, I don't think so." Turning back to Ren, he laughed, a genuine hearty laugh, as the tension quickly eased. "There's just something familiar about you. I think I've seen you somewhere before…" His fingers rose up again, pointing dead center at his right eye, two tips squeezing together as if to focus his gaze. "But then I see your eyes and all resemblance gets blurry."

"You might have." Ren admitted. He could have lied to the man, or he could have tried to divert the question entirely, but it had been a long day and such things were so tiresome. More than that, it was uncomfortable, Ren had to admit. Perhaps the man could shed some light on Ren's past, if indeed they had crossed paths before. But there was something in Ren's gut, something that warned him that it wasn't worth it. "Though I'm sorry to say that if we have met, I wouldn't know about it. Been having a bit of trouble with my memory."

Loakai took this as good-natured, chuckling once more. Ren was at least thankful that the man's interaction with Ruby, however odd, had seemingly had a relaxing effect on him. "That just means you're sick of your life already, ey?"

"Might just be." Ren offered a polite smile before pushing himself up. "Anyway, I've got somewhere to be now that I know Ruby's safe here." Truly, he hadn't meant to stay that long. The longer he took to help Blake's 'research', the longer he left her tearing her hair out. But it had been impossible to muster the resolve to leave Ruby alone, not when she looked so scared under the gaze of her future employer. Even in such a mundane reality, Ruby's power as a leader and a friend was stronger than ever; even if she was unaware of it. "Have a nice day, Sir."

A room away from Ren's departure, Ruby hurried as fast as her one good leg would allow her through a canopy of shelves and boxes. She still couldn't figure out what the actual business here was, but she was sure it would become clear when she got her first task… Hopefully. The lighting was quite dim, the bulb swinging above her head seemingly on it's last breath as it's bright gaze barely reached the floor, leaving Ruby with the comfort that at least it was harder for anyone to have seen her safety-hazard entrance.

Through the maze of essential junk, she could hear the harsh squeal of metal scraping against the floor from the other side of the room. It didn't take her long to approach the sound, banging on a metal shelf to let what she assumed was the aforementioned 'niece' know she was here. She didn't want to risk sneaking up on the poor girl by accident and getting a punch to the gut. "Oh, are you allowed to be in here?" The screeching came to a stop as a sweet, though slightly nasally, feminine voice called out to her. Even without seeing her, Ruby could feel an energy to her voice, like every few words came with a sudden jump. "Because if you're not, I may or may not be reaching for a weapon." It was spoken with enough laughter to be a joke and enough laughter to be a threat.

"Newly appointed employee, nice to meet ya!" Ruby started off peppy and welcoming, shuffling closer to the voice as she heard the metal screeching again. The closer she got, the more a certain uncertainty crept into her voice, that feeling that there was something she was missing. "Are you the Niece, your Uncle said you needed help back here."

"I love meeting new people! Wait just a second, I'll be right out."

That voice. There was no mistaking that voice.

"Wait, you're…"

* * *

Pissed. Absolutely pissed everywhere except the damn urinal.

It only took an hour on the job for Jaune to immediately develop respect of legendary proportions for the fragile-looking Old Man that acted as the janitor back at Beacon. Jaune, like most people, didn't exactly pay much attention to his surroundings when he was in the bathroom. Concentrate on his grip, keep his eye on the ball, and try not to veer off to the side before racing to the sink before the room started to smell. He never looked down at the ugly floor tiles or even dared to wonder about the other people who'd been in there, those just weren't sanitary thoughts, but at least he was damn sure he didn't leave a mess.

Blake and Ren get to return to their high paying jobs, and Ruby could probably charm herself into a respectable job. But Larry Arc? Oh, of course, he couldn't do more, he's stuck with his head under a filthy urinal, clippers on his nose, extra-thick rubber gloves cutting off the blood circulation in his fingers, and dragging along a bucket of soap. He might as well call himself Larry Butz for all the horridly colored sludge he had to wade through. Grimm were bad, but even fighting them didn't cost as many casualties as his cleaning supplies.

It was hard work, dirty work, and he felt nothing but spite for the little demons that ran wild in these halls as he emerged from the damned bathroom, smelling like death. He could already imagine himself returning to the apartment, looking like some sort of slime-themed movie monster, and purifying himself in the busted shower for a few hours. Oh, how heavenly that mildly warm occasional spurt of water would feel nipping at his tainted skin. He had come out into a daunting stretch of bland cobbled walls, flickering torches, and trophies caged in the richest looking material one could by. It was daunting both for the aesthetic and because he could not imagine cleaning so much ground in one day, and he did not know the first thing about polishing suits of armor.

"Damn kids need to learn how to aim…" It was in that moment, resting his chin atop the butt of his trusty mop, that Jaune cringed at his own reflection in the stainless glass case. His disgusted frown perfectly framed the golden miniature of a man struggling under the weight of a massive book, titled 'Most Disciplined Facility'. "Oh god, I've only been here a day and I'm already ranting like an old man." And worse, he was beginning to feel like an old man too. An hour on his knees, bending in ways he never thought possible had worn out his backbone more than that time Nora tried to induct him into her yoga routine. "Wait, how old am I?" It was almost instinctual for his fingers to stroke his thick 'could be used as a hand glider' mustache as he pondered the question. He'd already had a kid, a kid that had to be at least around eight or ten years old, and his hair- The question brought so much baggage with it that Jaune resigned himself to simply shaking his head. "No, Jaune. You don't want to go down that rabbit hole."

Continuing down the hall, he could only think of the next couple of rooms on his list of spots to hit. He knew bugger all about a lot of them, but the usage of terms like 'hall' and 'yard' made his bones plead to just collapse. In a desperate bid for a distraction, he turned his eyes back to the trophy cabinets that littered the corridor, marveling at the mean gleams bouncing off the corners of the finely polished metal frames. "Silver lining, I must have been one hell of a mad man with this mop if I consistently kept these halls so spotless." He pulled said mop out from it's drenched container as if to appraise it like one would a sword, hefting it up over his head. "I mean, when you think about it, I'm basically still a Huntsman: Fighting a secret war against the immortal danger that lurks in every stain. Wiping out the genocidal armies of bacteria!" With a deadly and decisive swipe, he completely obliterated to remains of someone's tuna sandwich stuffed into the corner, reducing it to a dissolving corpse that could threaten no surface any longer. In his other hand, he wielded a powerful spray bottle, looking impressively sharp and deadly in his eyes. "And I call this a bottle that is also a surface cleaner."

As if fate conspired for terrible dramatic timing, the alarm bell decided that very moment to break into song, hailing the army of younger feet to catch Jaune in the midst of his posing. There was no time to think as the merciless horde bore down open him before he even had time to register classroom doors opening. All he could do was move himself over his bucket and mop to protect them from the onslaught, student bodies both young and old barrelling past him with no concern or consideration. "Hey, watch where you're going; people are trying to walk here!" He called out as another student's bony knee slammed into his shoulder, and then the tip of their foot against the back of his head.

He knew he must find safety, or otherwise risk being drowned in the sea rushing bodies. Hefting the bucket up to his chest for extra protection, he rose up, standing tall above them all, and yet none of them seemed to register him, just their next destination. "Slow down, do none of you see the 'Wet Floor' sign?" It was an orchestra of squeaking shoes and ominous giggling echoing across the hall as he waded through. Soon enough, he let his brain reduce it all to stinging white noise, turning his full focus to survival. It was like any battle, stand tall, stand firm, and wait for any opening to pounce upon.

Against the raging rapids, his body was but a fly struggling against the force of a fan. Weakness in the currents did not come often, but he dived for them when he could, being dragged forward with every step he took towards the side of the hall. Still, it was progress even if it was not salvation. In fact, he realized too late that it was too much progress and his foot hit the wet patch of the floor hard and he was launched forward by his own lubed up momentum. Past the trophies, past the student horde, and even past the walls. "No, no, no, no." Before he knew it, his body careened right over the edge of the staircase and launched him over the first step.

Something hit the second step, he collapsed on his hand on the fifth, bumped his head on the wall beside the tenth step, and twenty steps later he was face down on the dust-covered stone with everything feeling numb. "Crap… Right on my-" He paused as he shifted onto his knee, rubbing the back of his head. He wanted to groan, but he knew his lungs could not take the pressure of expressing his pain at the moment. "Uh, whatever bone is screaming at me right now."

As he moved to his feet, body heavy and swaying oddly in the dark, he found it hard to see ahead of him. However, the first thing to hit him about this new room was the stench that attacked his nose. "That smell…" Like a rancid, cold copper fragrance that dug into his nostrils, so thick in the air that he could practically taste metal on the tip of his tongue. It carried the implication of life burned by pain and dried by time. He had an inkling of what the smell could be but didn't want to voice the answer, his stomach was already queasy enough. Stumbling his way forward, his blurred vision leaving him desperate to scramble for some sort of stability in the tight enclosure of the walls, he found his food scraping against something. It was not hard exactly, more like stepping in powder and feeling every tiny facet crack. The sight that greeted him only further the pungency of the smell and the fear set in his stomach. Even in the darkness, he could recognize the color, a once deep red puddle that had long since dried to a muddy brown with the texture of chalk. "That's probably just ketchup or something." He told himself with an unconvincing tremble in his voice. Had to be ketchup, because why would there be any dried blood down in the creepy lower levels of the school? Just ridiculous, he reasoned with himself. "Right, some students probably dropped their lunches down here." And yet, whether it be reckless curiosity or a sense of obligation, something pulled him forward, further and further into the bowels of the castle. "The smell's gotta be moldy food…"

For a time, he was fully submerged in the darkness, the distortion of his rattled vision fading as all colors were drowned out by the abyss. The rumbling of the students above had become a low hum that reverberated throughout the walls, the only concrete sound in his mind being his own hesitant footsteps. Now more than ever he felt those eyes in every corner he couldn't catch, waiting just beyond the outskirts of his vision, watching him intently as he ventured further. Fortunately, as the minutes ticked by, Jaune found his vision expanding across the void, eyes adapting to the lack of lighting bit by bit.

The tight enclosure before him was compact, stuffed to the brim with machinery, valves, and holes. It was wrapped in metal pipes brimming with heat, with what Jaune could only assume were boilers pushed off into the corner, while a pile of metal crates littered the space in front of him. Nothing really stood out, even as his eyes adjusted there was little color, just varying shades of grey with black splashed across them. The ominous stains trailing past it all were only highlighted by being the lightest shade of grey, running under the crates and towards the tail end of the room.

His stomach was telling him to let it go and run back to the stairs, but his heart slapped him over the head and urged him forward. He could hear Ruby's infectious squeal as she'd encourage exploring the ominous, suspicious enclosure; it could be rife with adventure. And no matter how dry his mouth became; he couldn't ignore the maybe-blood trail. What if someone was hurt down here? Could have been bleeding out for ages and no one could hear them this deep in.

Finally, he brought his body past the obscuring crate piles, breath held tightly as he crept closer to a very out of place door. Most things in this school generally matched the castle aesthetic, with the only exception being the computers and scrolls, most of the doors being at least painted to look like they were old wooden doors. Here, however, this door was large, clunky looking, and rusted. It was made up of various metal bars crossing over a protruding metal belly, looking more like a cheap bank vault than a normal door. There was a small window at the top of it, but it seemed that black tape had been placed over it from the other side. Never a good sign.

He gripped the long strip of metal he assumed was the handle, pushing it downwards and shaking the door. There was barely even a scream of rusted hinges giving up to tell him anything was even moving. With that attempt failed, he decided to glide his fingers over the door's front, hoping maybe he'd find some weak spot or mechanism he could trigger. However, he found himself pausing as his fingers scraped away at the layer of dust, finding a faded symbol emblazoned upon the heart of the door. A few more swipes and he came to a sudden stop. A very familiar logo, with three letters in place as initials: S.D.C. "That can't be right, this is a school; why'd an S.D.C brand be here." He backed away from the door, patting his hands together to beat away any grime left on his gloves. "Unless the S.D.C branched out into furnishing."

There was the temptation to write it off, that he didn't know about what this reality's version of the S.D.C's business venues, that finding a company logo down here wasn't anything suspicious. But that would be too easy, so of course, he was forced to comply with the sinking feeling that this was a little too coincidental, and he could no longer go on denying the bloodstains. He needed to get past this door. Behind the handle, he spotted a keyhole that looked like its outline had been melted, setting his hands shooting into his pockets, scrambling for his key ring. However, as he looked upon the assortment, he didn't need to try every one individually to feel that seed of doubt. Each key was labeled and in pristine condition, all classroom numbers, and certainly none of them looked like they were expected to work with a rusted old crusty keyhole. "Of course, the one door in this place I actually want to open and I don't have the keys to it."

From far behind him, back where the dim light flickered, Jaune could just hear a loud cry as something splattered against the hard stone floor. "Ew, it's everywhere!" High pitched, young, and louder. Must have been close to the stares. Sounded like another thing he needed to clean up. "Told you it was moldy."

This was followed by someone loudly hurling, and this time Jaune could hear the vomit sloshing about on the steps. "Not fair, you dared me to eat it!"

As much as the job disgusted him and his interests rested entirely on the door, Jaune knew he couldn't afford Cinder's ire if he wasted time down here trying to open a door he had little to no hope of opening. "Something to ask Blake about later." He concluded in his head, Blake would know how to handle this, she had the connections, she was smart and she had a much stronger stomach than Jaune ever did.

He took one last look at the door. ' _No wandering off into places you shouldn't be in._ ', her words were like cold water dripping down his spine.

"Probably a good idea not to get caught snooping about anyhow…"

With that, he pinched his nose, sucked in his breath, and retreated to the steps.


End file.
